resurrection vpon this day Iohn 20. verse 26. Vpon this day did the holy Ghost descend and this was the first day of the creation Vse 1 The Vses follow The sanctifying separating and keeping of the Lords day is a morall duty charged vpon euery soule whatsoeuer wheresoeuer we be in what state and condition soeuer in bondage and exile vpon the land or sea in sickenesse or in health at home or abroad with our selues or with others whether we be high or low Prince or subiect master or seruant bond or free male or female all persons must know that this day must bee sanctified vnto the holy worship of God and be spent in the meditation of holy things It is not as some prophane persons haue saide that fauour of nothing but the world that rich men may keepe the Sabbath but poore men cannot for GOD will haue the poore keepe holy this day as well as the rich As with him is no respect of persons so in giuing his law hee respecteth not persons wee haue not one of the Commandements for the poore and another for the rich but they belong to all as he is God of all and will bee serued of all The Sabbath is morall And if this be not a morall duty then we should haue but nine Commandements that binde perpetually wheras they are often called the ten words Exodus chap. 34 verse 28. Deut. 14.13 and 10 4. and Christ sheweth he came not to destroy the Law but to keepe it and fulfill it Math. 5 17. Againe he saith Hee that shall breake one of the least of the commandements and shal teach men so hee shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen verse 19. he shall bee shut out of it and haue no place in it But it may be obiected Obiect we keepe not the same day that the Iewes did they obserued the seuenth day from the creation we the first day of the weeke Why then was this day changed and who changed it and whether may it be changed againe Answer I answer first touching the first the reasons of the change are to put a difference betweene the Iewish and Christian Sabbath which could not be so fitly done but by change of the day Why the Sabbath was chāged Secondly to keepe a memoriall of the day of our redemption for as the seuenth day kept a memoriall of the work of the creation so doeth this first day of the weeke of our Redemption as great a worke yea greater then the former for it was more to redeeme vs out of hell then to create vs out of nothing Esay 66 24. Thirdly to free the church from the sacrifices and ceremonies of the Iewes and to take from it they yoake that lay as an heauie burden on the neckes of those that liued in the time of the Law Actes chap. 15. verse 10. which neither they nor their Fathers were able to beare for when this day was changed it was no more tied to the Iewish Sabbath which was solemnized with many ceremonies belonging necessarily vnto it The Iewes were tied to a strict and rigorous kinde of rest they might not kindle a fire throughout their habitations Exod. chapt 35. verse 3. It was also a figure of the euerlasting rest of Gods children in the kingdome of heauen Esay 66 23. Heb. 4 9. It was obserued in remembrance of their deliuerance out of Egypt which fell out that day Deut. 5 15. Exodus 11. It was tied precisely to the seuenth day from the Creation and celebrated with sundry set rites and ceremonies Numbers 28. verses 9 10. Neuerthelesse there is a Sabbath morall and perpetuall a time to bee set apart to the worship of God to the end of the world Who alter◠the Sabba◠The next Question is who altered it I answer Christ himselfe is the author of this change The Apostles often teach that whatsoeuer they taught they receiued it from Christ they learned it at his hand before either by word of his mouth or by reuelation of his Spirit but the Apostles enioyned the first day of the weeke to bee kept as a Sabbath of rest 1 Cor. 16 1. The Church euery first day of the weeke made a collection for the poore which followed the hearing of the word the offering vp of prayers and the receyuing of the Sacraments as a fruite of them Actes 2. ver 42. Wherein obserue by the way that the Sabbath was appointed for the benefit good and comfort of the poore not for their hurt or hinderance whereby as God is glorified so the poore are encouraged to tender their seruice to God this day and the mouthes of those carnal men are stopped that would haue the rich keep the Sabbath but not the poore If any say collections for the poore were lawful Obiect and might be made any day as well as on a Sabbath I answer Answ the Apostle doth not onely say that then collections were made but this was made an Apostolicall ordinance and institution to bee done that day especially for hee commandeth the Corinthians to obserue it that day as hee had ordained it in the Churches of Galatia 1 Corinth 16 1 2. So then because he gaue such order wee may conclude it to be an ordinance The Apostles also assembled themselues vpon this day for performance of diuine duties Actes 20. verse 7. They kept this day for a Sabbath neither kept they orderly any other sauing when they came into the Synagogues of the Iewes who were so addicted vnto the Law of Moses that they would meete vpon no other day Besides it is said of Christ that after his resurrection hee taught his Disciples whatsoeuer belonged to the kingdome of God as Actes 1. verse 3. but the alteration of the Sabbath belongeth to Gods kingdome The last questiō remaineth whether it be in the liberty of the Church to change the day againe I answer it is not For as it was not at the first chāged without the authority of Christ and his Apostles directed by Christ who is Lord of the Sabbath Math. 12 8. so it can receiue no farther change without him or them But if the Church had this power thē the Church might well be said to be Lord of the Sabbath Againe the times and seasons are in Gods hand Act. 1 6. but they should be left to the Church as a treasure to dispense if it might dispose transpose the Sabbath at her pleasure Againe one day to be kept in seauen is morall perpetuall otherwise if once we depart from this simplicity that we be not tied of necessity vnto it a mā may say that one day in seuē weeks or in seuen yeares is enough and so at length it shall be said we are not bound to meete together publikely aboue one day in an hundred yeares Therefore I set it downe as an vnchangeable rule that the obseruation of one day in seuen not in fiue or one in fifteene but one in seuen
Law they are called Priests Exod. 19.24 Thou shalt come vp thou and Aaron with thee but let not the Priests and the people breake through to come vp vnto the Lord lest he breake forth vpon them At this time Aaron and his sonnes were not consecrated to the office of the Priesthood neither was the tribe of Leui chosen to come neere to the Lord and therefore these Priests could be no other but the first borne that were sanctified vnto the Lord which is the point that now we deale withall Reason 1 This will farther appeare vnto vs if we consider what their dignitie was and wherein it consisted who excelled from the beginning in three things First he was Lord ouer his brethren according to that of Isaac when hee blessed Iacob the yonger in stead of the elder and thereby preferred him to the dignitie of the first borne Gen. 27.29 Be Lord ouer thy brethren and let thy mothers children bow downe vnto thee The like wee see in the booke of the Chronicles Chap. 21.3 touching the sonnes of Iehoshaphat Their father gaue them great gifts of siluer and of gold and of precious things with fenced cities in Iudah but the kingdome gaue hee to Iehoram because he was the first borne Secondly he had a double portion Deut. 21.17 that is two parts of all that the father had whereas the rest were contented with a single portion And this was so firmely established and decreed that no man vpon priuate affection ought to be disinherited and the reason is rendred for he is the beginning of his strength and therefore the right of the first borne is his Thirdly he was holy vnto God and was the Priest of the family vnder his father whom for the most part he vsed as an assistant vnto him in the managing of all the affaires thereof All this appeareth plainely in the dissolutenesse that fell out among the sonnes of Iacob which was sufficient to haue wrought the dissolution and desolation of that family when Reuben sinned against his father and defiled his bed by horrible incest he was disinherited and his excellency was diuided among his brethren Iudah gate the scepter Leui had the Priesthood and Ioseph obtained the double portion 2 Chronicles Chapter 5. verses 1 2. Againe as nothing is more naturall then Reason 2 that the father instruct and direct his children and set them forward in the wayes of godlinesse and well doing so nothing is more seemely among brethren then that the elder should help the yonger the stronger assist the weaker and the richer helpe the poorer Now none could be fitter to assist the father in the Kingly and Priestly office while he liued and to second him in them both when hee dyed then the first borne who is said to be the beginning of his strength the excellency of dignity and of power Genesis Chapter 49. verse 3. Seeing then it is iust and right and profitable it ought to be confessed and acknowledged of vs. Lastly heereunto in processe of time was Reason 3 added another reason and a new necessitie of lifting vp their heads when GOD destroyed all the first borne in the land of Egypt so that there was no house wherein there was not one dead Now Exod. 12.29 inasmuch as the first borne of Israel escaped out of this common calamitie as it were a brand taken out of the fire God saith vnto Moses Sanctifie vnto me all the first borne whatsoeuer openeth the wombe among the children of Israel c. it is mine Exodus Chapter 13. verse 1. From hence we may conclude that all the first borne were consecrated vnto GOD and were to bee employed in his seruice This is indeed a type and figure and hath Vse 1 not place among vs howbeit it is written for our admonition vpon whom the endes of the world are come and offereth many good and profitable instructions for our edification This teacheth who are chiefly bound to serue the Lord. The greater our giftes are the fitter we are for God and none is to disdaine to employ themselues and all that is in them to his seruice To this purpose commeth the saying of the wise man Prouerbes Chapter 3. verse 9. Honour the LORD with thy substance and with the first fruites of all thine increase Such as haue receiued the greatest measure of grace are bound to yeeld vnto him the greatest honour and to bring forth the greatest obedience as the fielde that hath most cost bestowed vpon it giueth the greatest encrease Such as haue receiued fiue talents should gaine with them other fiue If he haue made vs as the first borne preferred vs before many other and doubled his Spirit vpon vs as it were a double portion let not vs content our selues in any wise to giue him a simple and single gift or recompence of all his labours bestowed vpon vs. The first reproofe This reprooueth those that scorne the Ministery as base and reiect the calling it selfe as needelesse and superfluous in their eyes that account it too contemptible to employ the best and chiefest of their children in it In former times the first borne were teachers of the families and Ministers of the Church vntill God set apart the tribe of Leui to serue at the altar in the temple The best things that we haue are not too good for God euen to giue them vnto him all the dayes of their life For whom are the best fittest but for him that is best He challenged the eldest to serue him the rest he permitted to the father to be employed as he saw good First God will be serued as it is great reason he should be and afterward he giueth vs leaue to serue our selues Iesse serued the king with his eldest sonne in the warres 1 Sam. 17.13 and kept his yongest at home and bestowed him about his owne businesse If any thinke his first borne to be too good to minister before the Lord he honoureth them aboue the Lord. Doth any thinke himselfe too good or too great a man to be sent as an embassadour from the Prince to forraine estates or rather doe not men sue for such high places and think themselues happy when they attaine vnto them How commeth it then to passe that men of countenance are ashamed to see their children to be the embassadours of the king of kings and to be employed in the greatest seruice to make peace betweene God and man and to saue soules from death and destruction If a man be blessed with many children if any bee more toward in wisdome in learning in iudgment in stayednesse and in giftes he were fittest for the Lord. But the Ministery of the word in our dayes through the abundance of sinne and of iniquity getting the vpper hand is grown into disgrace and contempt because men cannot abide to be reproued whereas to them that are sanctified and shal be saued it is the power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 and the wisedome
4.8 â—â—m 4.16 â—or 3.9.10 〈◊〉 12.3 â—or 3.8.10 euen a greater measure of glory after a faithful discharge of the duty when the great Shepheard of the sheepe shall appeare in glory It is not therefore to bee maruelled at that Paul euery where magnifieth the grace of God who had chosen him to be a master-builder in his house to lay the foundation thereof more precious then the gold of Opâ—ir or then siluer tryed in a furnace of earth purified seuen times 〈◊〉 12.6 Now if the calling be in it selfe honourable ought it not then to be honored and how shall it be honored if they that be in the calling be not maintained and what shold their maintenance be but as it may be agreeable to their place they hold And if the maintenance must hold correspondence with the honour of the Ministery wee doubt not to affirme and auouch that the recompence of the labours of such as are painful and faithfull in this calling ought to be very bountifull and liberall Our Sauiour saith of this calling â—â—k 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Hee hath committed vnto them the keyes of the kingdome of heauen â—â—tth 16.19 Tel mee if thou were desirous to see one of the kings houses glistering with much gold and shining with pearles and precious stones and at length shouldest finde one that carryed the keyes who being intreated should forthwith vnlocke the doores and bring thee euen into the kings priuie chamber wouldest thou not make much of him and honour him aboue others The Ministers of God are they that keepe the keyes of the gates of heauen they haue power from Christ and vnder Christ to open the dores ought we not therefore to loue theÌ„ Chrysost hom 2. in 1. Thessal to reuerence them to honor them This made the Thessalonians receiue the Apostles doctrine 1 Thess 2.13 not as the word of man but as the word of God and he beareth the Galatians witnesse Gal. 4.15 that if it had beene possible they would haue plucked out their owne eyes and haue giuen them to him Our Sauiour telleth his Apostles Matth. 18.18 that whatsoeuer they shall bind on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer they shall loose on earth shall bee loosed in heauen Did not Pilate thinke himselfe aduanced to great honour that he could say Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee Ioh. 19.10 and haue power to release thee If a Prince should impart to any of his subiects this authority that as high Marshall he should haue power to put in prison whomsoeuer he would and againe to release them and let them goe Chrysost de sacerd lib. 3. toto sere lib. 1. he would be thought happy and worthy of honour in all mens iudgments It hath pleased the God of heauen earth to bestow a Ministeriall power to giue authority subordinate vnder his to the preachers of the Gospel to forgiue sins and to retaine sinnes saying Ioh. 20.23 Whosesoeuer sinnes ye remit they are remitted vnto them and whose-soeuer sinnes ye retaine they are retained As Eliah by his earnest prayer 1 King 17.1 Luk. 4.25 Iam. 5.17 did shut the heauens that it could not raine vpon the earth and againe by his prayers opened the windowes of heauen that the earth did drinke in the raine and brought forth herbes meete for the vse of man So the Ministers by their earnest preaching doe open the kingdome of heauen to all beleeuers and do shut the doore against all impenitent sinners and by the power of the Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 5.4 doe commit such to perpetuall imprisonment and doe deliuer them to Satan for the destruction of the flesh if haply by this meanes the spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord. This power doe the Ministers execute vpon earth which the Angels themselues do not nor cannot exercise in heauen To what end haue we spoken all this touching the power and authority of the Ministers Surely from thence to infer that their maintenance ought to be answerable to their Ministery and to shew that if wee withhold from them their due we withhold from God whose deputies they are deny him his right for all the tithe of the land Leuit. 27.30 whether of the seede of the land or of the fruit of the tree is the Lords it is holy vnto the Lord and consequently we hinder the worship of God and thereby as much as lyeth in vs destroy the soules of many thousaÌ„ds which otherwise might come to repentance acknowledging of the truth Remember therefore these two Principles See more of Tithes in the 18. chapter which both ioyne in one that the tythe of the land is the Lords verse 30. and that the tenth shall bee wholly vnto the Lord verse 32. As then we doe tender the continuance of the worshippe of God so we should render to the Minister his due maintenance that he may receiue comfort and encouragement in the worke of the Lord and thereby make it manifest that we are ready to bring to God the best sacrifice we haue and so to serue him in the best manner Thirdly acknowledge from hence that it Vse 3 is our duty to honor God with al our substaÌ„ce and that wee can no way so well imploy our goods as when God is honoured and glorified by them The wise man saith Pro. 3 9. Prou. 3.9 Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruites of thine increase And we heard before that Abel brought to God of the fattest sheep he had Exod 23.19 and 34.26 he offered vnto him the best Gen. 4. he offered a better sacrifice and also a greater sacrifice then Cain Heb. 11 4. He spared for no cost he brought not the worst he had or what came first to hand thinking that whatsoeuer he brought was good enough for the Lordes seruice and to be consumed with fire but he gaue the best hee had and would haue giuen better if he could Whosoeuer doth to the vttermost the best he can doth make it plain he would do better if he could From this practise of Abel had the Law his foundation that was afterwards written that nothing which was lean or lame Deut 15.21 Leuiti 22.20 or maimed or mishapen or blinde or any way blemished should be offered to the Lord. If any ask how this belongeth vnto vs. I answer the Ceremony is ended in Christ howbeit the equity remaineth and bindeth vs for euer Now then if the question be further demanded how this Law reacheth to vs and how we may honor him with our first fruites and riches I answer by giuing to him the best in euerie kinde that we haue This consisteth in many particular branches and teacheth vs diuers particular duties First of all here is offered that to
let vs haue our conuersation in heauen set our affections vpon heauenly things as we aske of God our daily bread so let vs depend vpon him for the daily food of our soules Vse 3 Lastly let vs returne to him praise and glory due vnto his Name We see men looke for this duty at our hands as an acknowledgment of their fauours who are but the instruments of God for the good of his people How much more then ought wee to be carefull to remember the Lord and to lift vp our hearts to the heauens We must not be alwaies groueling vpon the earth like the swine that eate the Mast but looke not to the Tree Wherfore the Prophet teacheth vs this duty I will praise thee O Lord my God with all my heart yea I will glorifie thy holy Name for euer for great is thy mercy toward me and thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest graue Psal 86 12 13. If we be not carefull when God hath opened his hand toward vs to opeÌ„ our mouthes yea our minds toward him we depriue our selues of many other blessings that God would plentifully bestow vpon vs. A skilfull husbandman will not alwaies till a barren soile nor cast his corne in the high-way where it shal neither be encreased nor receiued so if there be found in any of vs a dry and vnthankfull heart we stop the streame of Gods blessings and hinder many good things from vs. So then it is not enough to desire a supply of our necessities to haue a sense and feeling of our own wants we must not be idle beggers alwaies crauing catching what we can out of the Coffers of Gods Treasury and neuer acknowledge what we receiue and from whence we receiue it It is a notable note and token of the childe of God to be often in praises and thanksgiuings If we haue receiued but a litle measure of knowledge or faith learne vnfainedly to be thankfull for that to the end thou maist procure a farther blessing from God and that thou maist grow from faith to faith and from strength to strength Many hypocrites dissemblers nay many Atheists and Libertines in trouble and affliction are ready to aske seeke and knock at the gate of Gods mercy as we see in the Israelites and in sundry others but these praiers proceed from feare not from faith from a feeling of sorrow not from a feeling of sin from a sight of their own necessity not from a sight of their owne misery through want of reconciliation vnto God But we must testifie our loue to God and our zeale of his glory by our acknowledging of his gracious blessings and rendring vnto him the praise of his works of mercy Verse 17. Then Israel sang this song c. The goodnesse of God was great toward the Israelites in those dry and desolate places to send them water reueale vnto them where they should dig a Well Wherefore so soone as they haue experience of his kindnesse they make a song of thanksgiuing and sing a song of praise to remaine vnto all posterity to testifie the acknowledgement of Gods mercy toward them The Doctrine from this place is this Doctrine Thanksgiuing to God is a necessary duty That it is required as a speciall duty to God to offer the sacrifiâ—e of praise and to pay vnto him the calues of our lips when we haue tasted of his bounty and louing kindnesse We must giue thanks for mercies receiued at his hands WheÌ„ the people of God receiued any victory ouer their enemies they returned the glory to him for their deliuerance Gen. 14.20 Exod. 15 1. and 18 10. The Prophet Dauid as he abundantly tasted of the fauour of God so plentifully powreth out praise and thanksgiuing as the 18 Psalme It is a Psalme of praise which he sang in the day that the Lord deliuered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul Likewise Psal 116 12 13. What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefites toward mee I will take the Cuppe of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord. This duty we see practised by Melchizedec on the behalfe of Abraham Blessed be the most High which hath deliuered thine enemies into thine hands This we see performed by Moses and Aaron when they saw the mighty power of God ouerturning the Egyptians I will sing vnto the Lord for hee hath triumphed gloriously the horse and him that rode vpon him hath he ouerthrowne in the sea they sanke to the bottome as a stone This duty is not omitted nor deferred by Deborah and Barak in the day of their deliuerance Praise ye the Lord for the auenging of Israel and for the people that offered themselues willingly Iudg 5 1 5. This is it also that the Apostle teacheth Phil. 4 6. In all things let your requests bee shewed vnto God in prayer in supplications and in giuing of thanks Yea Iob fearing God and eschewing euill performed this duty to God after the losse of outward wealth when he had beene bereft of his children robbed of his goods spoiled of his seruants reproched of his wife and tempted of the diuell he said Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe the Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken away blessed bee the Name of the Lord for euer Iob 1 21. Teaching vs heereby to glorifie God not onely for meate drinke apparell peace liberty Gen. 24 12. and 29 35. 1 Sam. 1 1. health children successe in domesticall affaires and such like but euen for the losses crosses that he sendeth vpon vs which he sanctifieth to the saluation of his seruants Let vs therefore acknowledge that it is a duty belonging vnto vs to offer the sacrifice of praise alway vnto God that is the fruite of the lips which confesse his Name Reason 1 The Reasons remaine to bee considered First we must giue him the praise of his works because it is the will and pleasure of GOD who is so good vnto vs to require it of vs who can giue him nothing else Psal 118 1. For what are we able to require and returne to the Lord for his great mercies Can we deserue them at his hands or glory of any our own merits Without him we can do nothing If then wee can render nothing but this let vs not deny him this duty of praise It is the will of God we should not kill or steale nor commit idolatry or adultery such like few but make conscience of these sinnes because we see the will of God restraining vs and condemning them So it is the will of God we should beware of vnthankfulnesse and open our mouthes in setting foorth his praises for his goodnesse vnto men This reason the Apostle vseth 1 Thess 5 17 18. Psalm 81 4. Pray continually in all things giue thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus toward you
mad and franticke immediately after their reproaches and indignities shewed against the seruants of God and ran vp and downe iustifying those in words whom they had condemned in deed And scarce any of them escaped but the hand of GOD was strongly and strangely vpon them all before they dyed To tell vs and teach vs this trueth that the persecutors of the Church defiled with the blood of the Saints shall not alway escape vnpunished albeit for a time they doe preuaile The Reasons are these First because God Reason 1 is true in all his words iust in all his works He is a most righteous Iudge who will take his owne cause into his hands and be glorified in the confusion of his aduersaries It cannot therefore be that they should escape seeing GOD so tendereth them their blood is precious in his sight Matth. 23 35. Not one drop of it shall fal to the ground vnreuenged he hath said Psal 105 35. Touch not mine annointed do my Prophets no harm He hath put all their teares in his bottle such as touch them to do them hurt do touch the apple of his own eye Yea whatsoeuer iniuries wroÌ„gs oppressions and indignities are offered vnto them he accounteth them as done vnto himselfe This our Sauiour testified from heauen when Paul made hauocke of the Church and breathed out threatnings against the Saints saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Actes 9 4. They haue not to do onely with men they fight against God and therefore shall not preuaile This reason is vrged by the Apostle 2 Th. 1.6 7. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels Againe he is a gracious God and merciful Reason 2 to his people therefore in his good time hee will punish their enemies and those that hate them He is as pittifull toward his children as he is iust against all their aduersaries This the Prophet expressely handleth at large Psalme 136 1â— 16 17 18. c. He ouerthrew Pharao his hoast in the red sea for his mercy endureth for euer which smote great Kings for his mercie endureth for euer and slew mighty Kinges for his mercy endureth for euer as Sihon King of the Amorites for his mercy endureth for euer and Og the King of Bashan for his mercy endureth for euer And gaue their Land for an heritage for his mercie endureth for euer euen an heritage vnto Israel his seruant for his mercy endureth for euer It remaineth to make vse and application of this Doctrine First it is a great comfort to the Church to consider how God is mindfull of vs in our distresses he doth not forget our afflictions he seeth the iniuries that are offered vnto vs as he surely saw the trouble of his people in Egypt and therefore we ought not to sinke downe in our miseries No chastising indeed for the present time seemeth to bee ioyous but greeuous but afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse to them that are thereby exercised Heb. 12 11. So that in the midst of them we must reioyce Knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. Rom. 5 3 4 5. Albeit hee make vs runne through fire and water hee will in the ende bring vs to a sweete place of rest Let vs not therefore be dismayed for tribulation all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution Let vs not be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Which is the power of God to saluation vnto all that beleeue Let vs waite for the day of our deliuerance assuring our selues that albeit the enemies of Gods people and Religion band themselues and assemble together against the Lord and against his Christ yet in the end he shall crush them with a Scepter of Iron â—m 2 2 9. and breake them in peeces like a Potters vessell not leaue so great iniquity vnpunished Thus doth Moses comfort the people Exod. 14. Feare ye not stand still and behold the saluation of the Lord which he will shew to you this day for the Egiptians whom ye haue seene this day ye shall neuer see them againe the Lord will fight for you therefore hold you your peace He will harden the hearts of the Egiptians and will get him honour vpon Pharaoh and vpon all his hoast and vpon all his Chariots and vpon his Horsemen to shew his power in theÌ„ and to declare his Name throughout all the world Thus doth God comfort Abraham Gen. 15 by foretelling that the same Nation which should deale so churlishly and cruelly with his posterity should not alway escape vnpunished but in the end he would recompence them according to their desarts Know for a surety that thy seed shall bee a Stranger in a Land that is not theirs foure hundreth years and shall serue theÌ„ and they shall intreate theÌ„ euill notwithstanding the Nation whom they shall serue I will iudge and afterward shall they come foorth with great substance Gen. 15 13 14. As if the Lord should haue said vnto him I would not haue thee dismayed and discouraged O Abraham by these heauy tydings which I haue told thee that thy children shall be strangers in a strange Land and not onely strangers but be made seruants and bondslaues and not onely made slaues but be euilly and despitefully handled thus God by a Rhetoricall Gradation seemeth to augment his sorrowes rather I would haue thee strengthen thy faith against this tentation comfort thy heart with this cogitation that I will in the end punish that barbarous Nation and bring vpon it all those euils which it hath brought vpon thy posterity when they haue filled to the full the measure of their sins The truth of this promise is set downe in the booke of Exodus from the seuenth chapter to the fifteenth which we may reade and in reading consider that God is true in all his promises and Prophesies and will accomplish whatsoeuer he hath spoken for the confusion and destruction of his enemies Let vs therefore comfort our selues and comfort one another in these things that God will arise and his enemies shall be scattered Secondly let vs refraine anger and reuenge Vse 2 toward such as deale euilly with vs. It is the nature of flesh and blood to rise in choler to desire reuenge and not to put vp wrongs and iniuries We must be more then a lumpe of flesh if we will be the children of God We see that Stephen when he was stoned prayed for his persecutors Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Acts 7 60. The like wee see in Christ our Sauiour toward those that crucified him The consideration of this truth that God
wooden crosse as a god they call it the ground of our saluation and salute it by the name of theyr onely hope 2 The second commandement requireth that we worship the true God purely according to his most holy word and forbiddeth all false and forged worship of the true Iehouah The Church of Rome directly ouerturneth the intent and end of this Law by theyr imagery they teach it to bee lawfull to make images of the true God and to worship them with religious worship 3 The third Commandement prescribeth vnto vs to giue al honor and glorie vnto God that is due to his great name The Church of Rome teach men to giue this glory to some things else they holde that the people are to be barred from the free vse of the Scripture allow to sweare by Saints Angelles Crosse Rood and such like 4 The fourth Commandement appointeth the sanctification of the Sabbath The church of Rome keepe the dayes of Saints more duly and strictly more solemnly and precisely then the Lords day and abrogate the liberty of the sixe dayes 5 The fift Commandement establisheth the seuerall degrees amongst men The church of Rome challenge an immunity for their clergy and a freedome from answering before the secular power they deny that their holy father oweth subiection to Princes or Emperors They teach hee hath power to depose Princes Bel de pontif Rom. lib. 5. ca. 6 and to discharge their subiects from their allegeance and may dispose of all kingdomes at his pleasure Lastly they free Children from the obedience of their parents Bel. de Monach lib. 2. cap. 6. and allow them to enter into Cloysters and Monasteries without their counsell and consent 6 The sixt Commandement bindeth vppe our hearts and hands from all cruelty willeth vs to preserue life and shew foorth the fruites of mercy The Church of Rome open wide gappes for the free committing of murther and shedding of blood They giue Pardons nay promises of heauen to destroy and poison Princes they appoint sanctuaries and priuiledged places for wilful murtherers contrary to the law of God who wold haue such pulled from his Altar and no religious place to giue them succour or protection Exod. 21 11. 1 Kin. 2 31. And concerning the murthering of soules a great part of theyr Doctrine leadeth the highway to it and giueth them a deadly wound 7 The seuenth Commandement condemneth all impurity and vncleannesse of soule body and commandeth vs to possesse our vessels in holinesse and honour The Church of Rome shaketh the foundation of this Commandement Hard confutat of the Apologie Parson confut of Ioh. Nichols and crosseth the purpose of God therein by forbidding marriage by accounting it an vncleane life by establishing vowes of single life by tollerating and defending the stewes by giuing liberty for Incest by allowing the brother to marry his brothers Wife the vncle to marry his neece and lastly by forbidding such degrees as God hath not restrained to open a way for the Popes dispensations 8 The eight Commandement chargeth vs with the goods of our neighbour The church of Rome teach it to be lawfull to make sale of mens soules out of Purgatorie as cunning The common practise of the Pope nay cozening Merchants they set all things at offer and proffer they sell Crosses Images Prayers they sell the remission of sinnes and the kingdome of heauen for money yea they rob men of their inheritance defeating defrauding their posterity to maintaine their ydle bellies 9 The ninth Commandement forbiddeth all false witnes bearing The Church of Rome do beare false witnesse against God falsifying the Canon of the Scriptures and make God speake that which he hath not spoken They teach that neither faith nor promise nor oath must be kept with Heretickes they maintaine and practise the Doctrine of Equiuocation See the examinations of the priests Iesuites of mentall euasion and secret reseruation vnto themselues of an hidden sence contrary to the common vnderstanding of the same wordes thereby ouerthrowing al equity the course of iustice among men The tenth Commandement restraineth the motions of the mind and commandeth a pure heart toward our neighbour The Church of Rome teacheth that the motions without consent are no sinnes at all so that they expresly repeale this Commandement and euidently declare they neuer vnderstoode the meaning of it Notwithstanding these are those Teachers that boast themselues to bee the successors of the Apostles and to haue the onely right calling yet we see how corrupt they are in doctrine glorying in the naked name of the Church and ouer-turning the foundation whereon it is builded Vse 4 Lastly this teacheth sundry duties both to the Pastors and people committed vnto theyr charge First of all it putteth the Ministers in minde to looke to their flocks to take heed to them that they be not seduced Wee are all of vs naturally inclined to falshood and error and loue darkenesse better then light that so we may walke at liberty and not be controlled But our danger is greater by reason of false seducers which are deceitfull workmen and the instruments of the subtle Serpent by whom they are inspired This duty being so necessary in regard of the common danger of the Church is diuers times vrged by Christ and his Apostles Christ warneth his Disciples to be watchfull because of false teachers that should arise in the last dayes Matth. 24 24. The Apostle Iude testifyeth chap. 3 verse 4. that he gaue diligent heede to write vnto them of the common faith which was once giuen vnto the Saints because there were certaine vngodly men crept in which turned the grace of God into wantonnesse and denyed GOD the onely Lord and our Lord Iesus Christ The Apostle Paul exhorting the elders of Ephesus propounding vnto them his owne example foretelling the danger that hung ouer their heads to wit that their faith shold be assaulted and their zeale tried by false teachers springing vp from themselues sayeth Take heed vnto your selues and to all the Flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feed the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne blood Watch therefore remember that by the space of three yeares I ceased not to warne euery one night and day with teares Actes 20 28 29. So the same Apostle chargeth Timothy before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ Which shall iudge the quicke and dead at his appearing and in his kingdome to preach the Word in season and out of season because the time will come when they will not suffer wholesome Doctrine but hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lusts get them an heap of Teachers turning from the truth and giuing heed to fables Secondly this serueth to instruct the people of God to be throughly furnished and well prepared against such seducers that they may be able to stand our against them and to resist
and spake vnto you but yee would not heare nor answere I saide Obey my voyce and I will be your God and ye shall be my people and walke ye in all the wayes that I haue commanded you that it may bee well vnto you but they would not obey nor encline their eare but went after the counsels and stubbornnesse of their wicked heart went backward and not forward I haue sent vnto you all my seruants the Prophets rising vp early euery day and sending them yet would they not heare mee but hardened their neckes and did worse then their Fathers Thus hee layeth open their sinne therefore no maruaile if that hee threaten to stretch out his hand against them so that the famine should pinch them the sword shoulde slay them the pestilence should waste them the dogges should teare them the wild beasts destroy them and the fowles of the heauen deuoure them Secondly as it reproueth those that refuse to heare The second reprâ—ofe so it condemneth such as onely heare and go no further these rest in it as if they had done their duty and as if no more were required at their hands But know this and marke it that outward seruice separated from inward obedience is not respected but reiected of God This naked hearing is an halting with God which he cannot suffer If we keepe from him the heart he careth not for the eye or the tongue or the eare This is it which the Prophet saith When ye fasted and mourned in the fift and seauenth Moneths Zach. 7 5 6 7 euen these seuenty yâ—ares did ye fast vnto me Doe I approue it Should ye not heare the words which the Lord hath cried by the ministery of the former Prophets when Ierusalem was inhabited and in prosperity and the Cities thereof round about her when the south and the plaine was inhabited To like purpose is Esaiah bold and saith What haue I to doe with the multitude of your Sacrifices Esay 1 11.12 13.14.15 saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of Rammes I desire not the blood of Bullocks when ye come to appeare before me who required this of your hands to tread in my Courts Bring no moe Oblations in vaine Incense is an abhomination vnto me I cannot suffer your new Moones nor Sabboths c. they are a burthen vnto me I am weary to beare them and when you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mâ—ne eyes from you and though you make many praiers I will not heare Were not these his owne ordinances Did not hee appoint the solemne times of his worship and command sacrifices and oblations to be offered vnto him Yes he set them in his Church and was the Author of them but they perfourmed them in an euill manner without faith without repentance without loue without conscience and therefore as they did them God loathed them So may it be saide of our common and customary hearing remoued from faith obedience Who required it at our hands The Lord cannot abide it he cannot suffer it it is a burden vnto him that he cannot beare God ioyneth hearing and obeying together and cursed is hee that maketh a diuorce betweene them This doth the Prophet Ieremy denounce against all hypocriticall hearers chapt 11. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Iere. 11 3 4 5 Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Couenant which I commanded vnto your Fathers c. He protested vnto them and their Fathers rising early and saying Obey my voyce yet they would not obey nor incline their eare but euery one walked in the stubbornnesse of his wicked heart thus they made a conspiracy against God and hee brought his curses vpon them Thus our Sauiour teacheth it shall bee with many in the last day that saw his person and heard his doctrine they conuersed and continued with him and were partakers of his miracles and ministry who shall then begin to say We haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streetes Lu. 13 26 27. but he shall say I tell you I know you not whence ye are depart from me all ye workers of iniquity Woe shall then bee to all such hearers and cursed shall their state and condition be These haue an heauier account to make then such as neuer were hearers and neuer had so great mercy offered vnto them Hence it is that Christ pronounced sundry woes against Bethsaida Corazin and Capernaum who had the worde and other meanes of saluation offered vnto them yet liued without repentance and are pronounced to bee worse then the Sodomites For the greater mercies are abused the deeper iudgements are deserued Let vs sette this Capernaum a Citty in Galile before our eyes and looke vpon it as in a glasse that therein we may behold our selues The Lord Iesus was brought vp there and because hee did so much frequent it and was conuersant there many thought hee had beene borne there so that it is called his owne City Mat. 9 1. Secondly the miracles which he wrought there were many he healed the seruant of the Centurion and a man that had an vncleane spirit Math. 8 5. in so much that the Nazarites as it were enuying and repining thereat that that place should be preferred before them saide vnto him Whatsoeuer we haue hâ—ard done in Capernaum do it heere likewise in thâ—ne owne Country Luc. 4.23 thereby implying that the greatest part of his miracles had not beene done among them but among the Capernaites Thirdly there he began to preach saying Repent Math. 4.13.17 Mark 1.14 Iohn 6 59. Luc. 4.31.32 for the Kingdome of heauen is at hand and there he preached of the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood likewise hee taught on the Sabboth day in their Synagogue with power and authority so that they were astonied at his doctrine In all these respects and priuiledges partly of the presence of his person partly of the working of his miracles partly of the preaching of his Gospel Christ pronounceth that they were lifted vp to heauen Mat. 11 23.24 highly aduanced aboue many other Townes Cities that wanted the seeing and hearing of him but because they became vnthankfull and to all these did not ioyne true obedience hee denounceth against them that they should be brought downe to hell the reason hereof is rendred in the next wordes For if the great workes which haue beene done in thee had beene done among them of Sodome they had remained to this day but I say vnto you that it shall be easier for them of the Land of Sodome in the day of iudgement then for thee An heauy doome and a most fearefull sentence and yet most iust and righteous if it bee weighed in the ballance of iustice The sinnes of Capernaum greater then of Sodome Gen. 19 3. Rom 1 27 28. Ezek. 16. Sodome indeede was guilty of vncleannesse and
our hearts to worke in vs the fruites of obedience Let vs enter into our owne selues and examine our consciences aright and reason with our selues after this manner How commeth it to passe that we haue sinned and yet are spared that we haue beene in danger and yet are deliuered and are not destroyed seeing so many of our neighbours die round about vs daily how is it that we are spared Haue not our sinnes deserued to be swept away or can we say we are not guilty If we search our hearts and wayes throughly and deale truely with God and our selues we must confesse that there is nothing in our selues but matter to kindle his wrath and to cut vs off and to punish vs with greater plagues then he hath hitherto inflicted vpon vs. It is his mercy that we liue and haue a longer time of repentance giuen vnto vs hee might haue cut vs off as rotten branches fit for no other vse then to be cast into the fire We must be thankfull vnto him for this goodnesse and not abuse his patience and long suffering lest we kindle his wrath againe and he reserue vs for a greater plague and so we bring a more heauy condemnation vpon our selues Blessed are we if wee can make this holy and sanctified vse of affliction the which albeit for the present time it seeme greeuous and not ioyous Heb. 12 11. yet afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised Thus we see how this doctrine is the cause of much comfort and consolation if wee behaue our selues as we ought to do vnder the Crosse Wee haue not to doe with an hard and cruell father that will not regard vs nor with a weake and impotent father that cannot releeue vs for our God is in heauen he is able to do whatsoeuer he will Little children do oftentimes receiue great hurt beeing farre from their fathers sight and left vnto themselues it is not so with vs wee are alwayes in the presence of GOD our Father he is our eye to see for vs our eare to heare for vs our hand stretched out to helpe vs and deliuer vs. For how should not hee that made the eie see and that made the eare heare Psal 94 9. It is saide when Israel was in Egypt and there oppressed with cruell bondage that GOD looked vpon the children of Israel Exod. 2 25. and God had respect vnto them so that hee did not looke vpon their miseries as an idle beholder of them or as one that tooke pleasure to see their calamities but as one that was mooued with compassion toward them and pittied their poore estate and condition for as he saw their troubles and knew their sorrowes Exod. 3 7. so hee came downe to deliuer them out of the hand of the Egyptians Hec it is that giueth diligent care to all our grones and sighes he knoweth in what case wee stand and what paines we feele hee taketh so great care and keepe of vs that he suffereth not any of our teares to fall to the ground but putteth them into his bottle and layeth them vp in his register Thus doeth GOD remember vs in trouble heareth and helpeth vs at all times hath a continuall care of vs that wee shoulde not be discouraged nor drinke a full cuppe and draughte of affliction to bee left without comfort vnder the waues thereof that might drowne our soules This is the staffe of comfort which Christ giueth vnto his Disciples and all that beleeued in his Name euen to so many as should see the ruine and horrible destructiō that should come vppon the City and the Temple Math. 24 verse 22. Math. 24 22 Then shall be great tribulation such as was not from the beginning of the world to this time nor yet shall be hereafter and except those daies should be shortened there should no flesh be saued but for the elects sake those daies shall be shortned In these words the faithfull are comforted by consideration of the mercy of God in the mitigation of those iudgements which hee would bring vpon Ierusalem True it is some do vnderstand them of the second comming of Christ with power and great glory according to a rotten Prophesie of one of the Rabbines setting downe the standing and continuing of the world namely Two thousand yeares before the Law A worme-eaten and moth-eaten prophesie of one Elias two thousand vnder the Law and two thousand vnder Christ but for the Elects sake those daies should be shortned The examination of this counterfeit and worm-eaten Prophesie belongeth not to this place nor time the two first parts being vntrue the third both vntrue vncertaine and vnsetled hauing no sure ground or foundation to stand vpon For touching the true meaning of the place it is not to be vnderstood of the day of iudgement but of the destruction of Ierusalem For when Christ speaking by the Spirit of Prophesie foretolde of the taking and ruinating of the Temple so that one stone shold not be left vp on a stone that should not bee cast down the Disciples vpon occasion hereof asked the question when these things should be and what should be the signes of his comming to iudgement To these two questions he answereth distinctly not confusedly and first of all to the first wherein he giueth them sundry signes going before the sackking of the City of Ierusalem as for example Math. 24 15. Luc. 21.20 and 19 43. Math. 24.19 20 when yee shall see the abhomination of desolation that is the Romane army as Luke expounds it sit in the holy place know that the end is neere then being touched with a commiseration of their sorrowes he saith Wo to them that are with childe and giue sucke in these daies pray that your flight bee not in the winter c. Such were no fit persons to flye such is no fit time to flye from their cruell and bloody enemies nor to escape the rage of barbarous and mercilesse souldiers Then shal be such trouble and tribulation as no tongue can expresse no pen can write no language hath words to vtter The sword deuoured without and both sword and famine raged consumed within Ioseph de bello Iudai li. 7. c. 8. so that they were constrained to eate their owne children during the straightnesse of the siege These be the dayes of vengeance to fulfill all things that are written Immediately vpon the mention of these woes and tribulations follow these words Except those dayes should bee shortned Luc 21 22. c as if he should say If God had suffered those sharpe afflictions to continue and the enemies to rage against them as they desired and their sinnes deserued none of that Nation had escaped al the Iewes had bene rooted out as one man No flesh that is not a man among the Iewes had beene left aliue Rom. 9 1 2 3 But for the elects sake that is because
receiue good from the hand of God and not receiue euill In all this did not Iob sinne with his lips Thus let vs stoope downe bend the knees of our hearts vnto God acknowledging the chastisement to come from him and looking for deliuerance to come from him also The last property to discerne it is cheerefulnesse and ioy in suffering when we are so farre from murmuring vnder it that wee reioyce in it The Apostles of Christ being accused for preaching Christ as for an euill worke scourged as malefactors by the enemies of the Gospel Act. 5.41 departed from the councel reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name This was a signe and proofe of their patience For this are the Saints commended Rom. 8. who albeit they were killed al day long for his sake and counted as sheepe for the slaughter yet in all these things they were more then conquerers Rom. 8.37 through him that loued them They are perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall separate them from the loue of God The Apostle testifieth touching the Hebrewes that they suffered with ioy the spoiling of their goods Heb. 10.34 knowing in themselues how that they haue in heauen a better and an enduring substance It was a lamentable case to suffer the losse of all their substance gathered together with great labour and sweat or left vnto them by their parents but to suffer this spoyle and pillage at the hands of their kinsfolkes and countreymen and Magistrates whose help they were to call vpon and who ought to haue aided and assisted them this no doubt did double and trebble their sorrow and misery yet such was their Christian patience that they receiued those iniuries and indignities with ioy and great comfort Not that they reioyced at their owne miseries as men that were without feeling or humane affections for if they had beene without sense they could not be renowned for their patience but albeit they were touched with griefe and heauinesse for their aduersities and afflictions yet they were mindful of their profession and of Christs promise that whosoeuer shall forsake houses or brethren or sisters Matth. 19.29 or father or mother or wife or children or lands for his Names sake he shall receiue an hundreth fold more and shall inherit euerlasting life This meditation was it that made them account light of the wrongs they had receiued this hope of an eternall recompence swallowed vp the sadnesse that arose in their heart and wrought in them great gladnesse For what cause hath hee to mourne and lament that maketh an exchange of copper for golde of chaffe for wheat of drosse for pure mettall So great is the price and excellency of heauenly things aboue earthly that we must be ready to beare with patience and alacrity the lacke and losse of them especially considering we are not so much owners of them as stewards neither shall it bring pouerty vpon vs because God will make vs a plentifull amends and recompence neither shall our enemies thriue with them or enrich themselues by them because as theeues and robbers they shall not escape the kingdome of God but he wil feed them with shame and clothe them with dishonor and reward them with confusion in the end 17 Then the Tabernacle of the Congregation shall goe with the hoste of the Leuites in the middes of the Campe as they haue pitched so shall they goe forward euery man in his order according to their standards We haue spoken already of two of the standards and two other remaine behinde to be spoken off In this verse Moses enterlaceth the placing and scituation of the Tabernacle which was so inuironed with the Leuites and they flanked and fortified with the whole hoste that it remained in the middes to wit in a place of the greatest safety and security fittest for accesse in regard of the people and hardest for accesse in regard of their enemies For being placed in the middes of all the hoste the Israelites might more easily approach hauing a commodious ingresse and egresse and regresse vnto it and the enemies if any should enterprise to trouble them should not be able by any meanes to disturbe and disquiet them albeit they deferred it neuer Doctrine 4 so much So then we see that the place of the Tabernacle was not set in a corner of the hoste The Tabernacle was placed in the middes of the hoste or at the one side or out of the hoste but is commanded to be pitched in the midst of the people Hence it appeareth that when the Lord was angry with his people and would no longer reueile himselfe vnto them by his presence among their tents it is saide Moses tooke his Tabernacle and pitched it without the hoste and called it Ohel-moed that is the Tabernacle of the Congregation Exod. 33 ver 7. Exod. 33.7 Heere the people were to meet together here the people were to aske counsell of God and here the Oracle of God would giue answere vnto them True it is this is not to bee vnderstood of that holy place made to bee a worldly Heb. 9.1 that is an earthly and temporall Sanctuary called the Tabernacle whereby they might haue a visible testimony of the presence of God Caluin harmon in hunc locum Caietan O east in Exod. albeit some are of that opinion whether we consider the time or the comming of Moses from the mount or the order of the History In respect of the time because the making of that great Tabernacle followeth afterward Exod. 35. In respect of comming from the mountaine because Moses was newly descended the idolatry of the people newly reuenged and no sufficient leisure afforded for so great a worke lastly in respect of the order of the history because it must be inuerted and transposed Neither was it some peculiar Tabernacle which Moses erected specially for the seruice of God as others suppose and surmise seeing we reade of no such commandement giuen vnto him Osiander and Simler in Exod. and it is not to be thought he would inuent any thing in the seruice of God for which he had no word or warrant For if in the building of the great Tabernacle he did frame all things euen to the rings and pinnes to the snuffers snuffe-dishes Exod. 25.40 and 39.42.43 according to the patterne shewed vnto him in the mountaine how shall we imagine he would set vp a Tabernacle of his own head without the warrant and direction of God Now assuredly we cannot vnderstand it of the great Tabernacle much lesse of any peculiar tabernacle beside whose author God is not remembred to be but of the Tent or Tabernacle of Moses which seruing first for his priuate vse is here appointed the place wher God would manifest himselfe vnto them so that the
deformed both wayes they haue too little one way and too much another way and yet alasse they see it not they know it not they feele it not Or if they do know it they will not acknowledge it or if they feele it they will not reforme it and if they see it they glory at it and reioyce in it It were a strange thing to see any body to bee merry and make a triumph of it because it wanteth an eye or an hand or a foot But thus the case standeth with many Churches they consist of confused bodies one member encroching vpon the office of another they want their eyes to see withall and yet they dreame of perfection and despise other that are more faire and forward in good things then themselues Nothing continueth long at one stay in this life nothing is so well ordered but Satan and his instruments seeke to put it out of ioynt Wee must pray to God to open our eyes to see our wants and wrinkles and to labour earnestly as well to restore that which is wanting as to cut off that which is abounding Christ is the King of this Church shall any presume in his kingdome to set vp or pull downe to place or to displace to plant or to destroy This is Gods office it belongeth vnto him onely to do them such therefore are no better then vsurpers Vse 2 Secondly this serueth to reprooue the state of the Iewes as it stood in the dayes of Christ It was time for him to come to reforme and restore all things they had many strange plants growing in the garden of God which his right hand had neuer planted that were as naughty and noysome rootes to bee pulled vp and as byles and blisters in the body We heard before that in the Church vnder the Law there was found no other Ecclesiasticall ministeries which were ordinary then those orders of the high Priest the inferiour Priests and the rest of the Leuites all which were appointed by the law of God And if any were raised vp extraordinarily the same had their calling confirmed from heauen eyther by inward motion of the Spirit or by working of miracles or by euident testimonies of the mouth of God But this gouernment of the Church stood not long without change and alteration for though the field were sowne with good seed yet the enuious man sowed tares in it so that in latter times there arose many sectes and sorts of teachers among thē who by schismes were ready to rent that body in sunder departing from the simplicity sincerity that was established by Gods instistution Epiph. cont haer lib. 1. Some of the ancient that haue taken paines to discouer to the world the heresies that sprung vp and grew apace where once they tooke rooting and footing and so to giue notice of them that they might be auoyded doe testifie that seuen seuerall and principall sects arose among the Iewes Seuen sects among the Iewes whereof some are mentioned in the Scriptures and other are not The first was that of the Scribes Scribes who were Interpreters of the Law but withall as if the law were too base a thing to sticke onely vnto it they deliuered many traditions as from their Elders not contained in the Law and sought taking counsell of humane wisedom to bring in a more exact kind of the worship of GOD then Moses and the Prophets euer taught consisting in many voluntary obseruations and customes deuised by men which they are wont to magnifie preferre before the Commandements of God Mat. 15. Colossians 2. Thus would man become wiser thē GOD Deut. 4 2. who forbad all adding or taking from his word The second sect were the Sadduces Sadduces which were of the race of the Samaritans and had their name of one Sadoc a Priest these denied the resurrection of the body and beleeued not that there is any Angell or spirit Acts 23 and consequently ouerthrew all religion as 1. Corinth 15. For if there be no resurrection of the body or immortality of the soule then are wee of all men the most miserable that professe Christ In vaine wee beleeue in his Name and in vaine wee fight with beasts at Ephesus in vaine we suffer crosses and afflictions for the Gospels sake it were better for vs to do as the most doe and to bee wicked and vngodly if there were no other life or reward in another world If the dead rise not 1 Cor. 15 16 17. then is not Christ raised and if CHRIST bee not raised our faith is vaine we are yet in our sinnes The third sect were Pharisies Pharisies these were the strictest of all others and most reuerenced and best esteemed these beleeued the rising againe of the dead at the last day and that there were both Angels and spirits as the Scribes also did and that all shall come vnto iudgement to receiue according to the things they do in this flesh whether they bee good or euill Acts 23. Acts 23 6 7. When Paul beeing accused by his enemies perceiuing that they were partly Pharisies and partly Sadduces he cryed out in the Councell Men and brethren I am a Pharisie the sonne of a Pharisie of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question They much honoured virginity and single life they paied tithes of the smallest things they possessed Luke 18 verse 12. They washed cups platters beds and all kinde of vessels that they vsed they fasted twice euery week and differed in their habite from other men Against these are many woes denounced by our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel Math. 23 verse 23 for their hypocrisie that delighted more in outward shewes then in the truth of the heart The fourth sect were the Hemerobaptists Hemerobaptists or Quotidian washers who thought that no man could be saued if hee were not washed euery day that so he might be clensed from the impurity and filthinesse of sinne It is not the water in the whole sea nor any fountaine can wash away the sinnes and corruptions of our life or of our heart It hath no force in it eyther by any naturall power or by any voluntary vse Christ is our Purgatory and purification it is he that must wash vs or else wee remaine vnpure and vncleane He is the water of life whereby our consciences must be sprinkled Heb. 10 22. he is the lauer of regeneration by whom wee are borne againe and washed as with pure water If he make vs cleane then we are clean indeed His passion and the shedding of his blood must be communicated to vs and the sanctifying grace of the Spirit of God And this is necessary vnto saluation not any outward washing of the body which may clense the flesh but cannot touch the soule This is made auaileable three waies First by faith which serueth to apply Christ vnto vs and all his benefits Secondly by repentance from dead workes whereby
the Minister of GOD to attend the issue Shee stood to be iudged he to be the instrument of the iudgement She was to come vnto iudgement he to bring her vnto iudgement Thus we haue runne ouer the principall questions that were to be touched Analys Iunij in Numer in handling whereof I haue followed the iudgment of the learned who haue discussed and resolued these doubts and difficulties before me Now we are to proceed in order to the doctrine arising from hence Verse 15.16 Then shall the man bring his wife vnto the Priest c. We see in these words that the man is to bring his suspected wife to the place and meanes of her tryall If euery one that was suspected might be put away many husband 's not louing but growing weary of their wiues would readily entertaine any the least flying report and thereupon take occasion to be diuorsed from them Wherefore to the end that euery one suspected shold not by and by be condemned the Lord ordaineth that he should bring his wife to the Priest and before him vndergoe such tryall as is appointed for her Doctrine None is to be accounted guilty before tryall We learne from hence that it is Gods ordinance that no innocent person should be oppressed in iudgement and none at the priuate pleasure of any ought to be condemned before their tryall Euery person must hold vp his hand at the barre before he be pronounced guilty This appeareth plainly in the Law of Moses decreeing against idolatrous cities if the children of Belial haue withdrawne the inhabitants of their citie saying Let vs goe and serue other gods which ye haue not knowne Deut. 12.14 15 and 19.18 Then shalt thou enquire and make search and aske diligently and behold if it be truth and the thing certaine that such abomination is wrought among you thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword destroying it vtterly and all that is therein c. Where we see that in the matter of idolatry which God aboue many other sinnes abhorreth as that which goeth neerest to his heart and as it were pierceth into the very marrow of his worship and seruice he would not haue euery suspicion to be taken or euery report to be receiued but hee will haue the matter examined and the trueth tryed out and searched to the full before any processe be made out against them Hence it is that Salomon complaineth of the contrary course oftentimes obserued Eccles 7.15 All things haue I seene in the dayes of my vanity there is a iust man that perisheth in his righteousnesse and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in hâ—s wickednesse To this purpose speaketh the Apostle Iames chap. 5.5.6 against the abuse of their power in rich men Ye haue liued in pleasure on the earth and beene wanton ye haue nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter ye haue condemned and kâ—lled the iust and he doth not resist you Thus we set it is no new thing to see innocency it selfe trodden vnder foot and innocent persons condemned The Apostle Peter setting downe the duties of Magistrates willeth those to whom hee wrote to submit themselues to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the king as supreme 1 Pet â—3 â— or vnto gouernours as vnto them that are sent by him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well So that it is the ordinance of God that euill doers should be punished and that such as doe well should be commended and rewarded and therefore no innocent person ought to be discountenanced or put to death This trueth is strengthened vnto vs many Reason 1 wayes First by example which is beyond all comparison and exception for no man may compare with him no man dare except against him I meane the example of God himselfe who goeth before vs in the practise heereof that we should follow him in this duty Before he brought vpon the world confusion of tongues he is said to goe downe among them to see their fact Gen. 11.6 Thus he dealt with Adam before he pronounced him guilty and denounced iudgement vpon him hee called vnto him Adam Where art thou hee examined him and asked him farther Gen. 3.11 Whether he had eaten of the fruit of the tree in the mids of the garden of which he had said Thou shalt not eate thereof lest thou die In like maner he dealt with Caine chap. 4.9.10 before hee pronounced him cursed from the earth which opened her mouth to receiue his brothers blood from his hand and that he should be a vagabond and runnagate first he examineth him Where is Abel thy brother then he endighteth and conuinceth him What hast thou done the voyce of thy brothers blood cryeth vnto me for vengeance So in the eighteene chapter of the same booke before he destroyed Sodome and Gomorrha with fire and brimstone from heauen he said to Abraham Gen. 18.20 21. Behold the cry of Sodome and Gomorrha is great and because their sinne is very grieuous I will goe downe now and see whether they haue done altogether according to the cry of it which is come vnto me and if not I will know Whereby he would instruct vs that before wee enter into iudgement with any person or pronounce sentence vpon any people he first taketh good consideration of the fact which causeth his punishment So ought it to bee with euery one of vs wee must lay before vs this example if wee would be the children of our heauenly Father Secondly it is the ende of all Magistracy Reason 2 to protect and countenance the Godly but to roote out and destroy the vngodly to be a praise and protection to the one but a terrour and feare to the other as Romanes chapter 13. verse 3. Magistrates are not to bee feared for good workes but for euill wilt thou then bee without feare of the power Doe well so shalt thou haue praise of the same c. After that Iehoshaphat had beene reprooued by the Prophet he called the people againe to the honouring of the Lord he set Iudges in the Land throughout the citties of Iudah and said vnto them Take heed what ye doe for ye execute not the iudgement of man but of the Lord and he will be with you in the iudgement wherefore now let the feare of the Lord bee vpon you take heed and doe it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God neither respect of persons nor receiuing of reward 2 Chron. 19 6 7. He would not haue the stronger to oppresse the weaker and the high to ouerbeare the low and the rich to eate vp the poore like the greater fish that deuoure the lesse but that euery one should receiue according vnto his workes whether good or euill Reason 3 Thirdly it is an abhomination to God for any to oppresse the innocent and as great
secretly purloyning them away and we hold our peace are we not accessary to his theft and partakers of his sin So if wee heare any raising euill reports of him and robbing him of his good name which is more in value then all things in the world are we not slanderers as well as hee while we ioyne with him so become guilty of the same transgression A good name is many a mans liuing take that away and impaire his credite he is vtterly vndone not able to maintaine himselfe you hurt him as much as if you tooke away house and land corne cattell from him or any other thing of worth that is deare vnto him If then it be so rich and precious a treasure we must bee carefull to maintaine our brothers credite estimation being made keepers of his life of his goods and of his good name doing the same vnto him which we desire he should do vnto vs. This is a signe of true loue that we loue him indeed when we will not spare to take vpon vs his iust defence and on the other side it is an euident token of cold loue or no loue at all when wee see them abused and do not regard it the Lord will raise vp others in his righteous iudgement who shall do as little for vs as wee doe for those that stand in need of vs. Vse 6 Lastly as this doctrine hath offered vnto vs sundry good meditations of duties concerning God and our brother so it sendeth vs not away without comfort concerning our selues Are wee slandered and reuiled Are we falsely charged with things which we neuer spake or did Let this be our comfort the time shall certainly come when the slanderers shall be detected and put to silence It ought not to seeme strange to vs when such flying tales are noised abroad rather it might seeme most strange as a great wonder if it were not so The diuell will be the diuell still who is the head and prince of all slanderers and all his instruments will be like him Gods people aboue all others are falsely accused they are not of the world Iohn 15 19. but chosen out of the world and therefore the world hateth them Ioseph was accused to be incontinent Iob was condemned to be an hypocrite Daniel was charged with disobedience Amos of conspiracy Eliah of troubling Israel Dauid of seeking Sauls life Paul was suspected to bee a murtherer Christ our Sauiour was reputed an enemy to Caesar and his Disciples were accused and iudged worthy of stripes and censured to bee mouers of sedition among the people howbeit all this is but as a cloud which will quickly be dispersed as a darke mist that shall suddenly bee scattered away It is a notable comfort to heare these things that GOD will not suffer vs to sinke downe vnder taunts and rebukes of men but lift vp our heads and pronounce sentence of absolution on our side Let it not trouble vs to be condemned of men so that wee be assured to be iustified of God If a man were wrongfully condemned in an action of slander or fellony in an inferiour Court of iustice and there iudged to be guilty of some hainous crime yet if he were sure to bee acquitted and discharged by appeale to an higher Court where he is perswaded hee cannot but haue iustice because there is no corruption of Iudge or witnesse how would he be comforted and how little should the ouerthrow he had taken be regarded forasmuch as hee knoweth the next triall will set all to right againe So is the case with vs. It is our lot and condition heere to bee persecuted and reuiled for righteousnesse sake Mat. 5 1◠1◠and we shall be condemned of wicked men vniustly howbeit this ought not to trouble vs how greatly soeuer they resist vs and rage against vs this is but a condemnation of men vpon the earth wee may lawfully appeale from them to an higher Court and to a greater Iudge When Paul was falsely accused by the Iewes and could haue no iustice at the hands of the high Priests he appealed to Caesar that is Acts 25 12 from inferior Gouernors to the Emperour that was supreme So must we doe when wee are burdened and oppressed by the poison of euill tongues and condemned as euill dooers of all men we know there is a Iudge that sitteth in heauen who will acquit vs when wee come before him and take the cause into his owne hand And if we see not this alwaies accomplished in this life it shall most certainly be performed in the life to come when all the secrets of euery mans heart shall be opened Sometimes he maketh their light so to shine in this world that they reape great fruite of their godlinesse and the Sunne beames as it were to refresh them and make them aliue againe But if it happen not in this life yet it shall not faile in the next life when Christ shall appeare in glory and say Come yee blessed of my Father inherite yee the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world Math. chap. 25 verse 34. When hee shall breake the heauens and come to iudge the quicke and the dead let vs lift vp our heads and reioyce for our redemption draweth neere This is the time of our refreshing heere we are ouerwearied with bearing the burden of other mens malice Then shall all teares bee wiped from our eyes and we shall see as wee are seene and know as we are knowne as we reade Math. chap. 13 verse 43. Then shall the righteous shine foorth as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father he that hath eares to heare let him heare To this purpose speaketh Paul Colos chap. 3 verses 3 4. Your life is hid with Christ in God when Christ who is our life 1 Iohn 3 ◠shall appeare then shall ye also appeare with him in glory If then our righteousnesse bee couered heere as with a garment and bee hidden as a treasure that is buried in the earth yet our life shall not alwayes lye in obscurity for when the night is past the day will appeare and when falsehood hideth her face the truth will be made manifest Let vs acknowledge the power of God that is able to do this and let vs rest patiently in him that is our stay Let vs not fret our selues because of him that prospereth in his way and bringeth wicked deuises to passe Contrary-wise the vngodly haue from this doctrine matter of sorrow and heauinesse because howsoeuer they rule heere for a time and will not bee controlled they say their tongues are their owne who is Lord ouer them they thinke themselues priuiledged to deuise and disperse what lies they list and none may call them to an account yet God will one day call them to an account when they shall receiue according to their workes For yet a little while 〈◊〉 37 10 13 and the wicked shall not
which are in Egypt and haue heard their cry by reason of their Taske-masters for I know their sorrowes and I am come downe to deliuer them out of the hands of the Egyptians c. He is not ignorant what teares we shead but keepeth them in a bottle of remembrance he knoweth what prayers we poure out for they ascend vp into his presence as incense hee heareth the sighes and grones that come from vs for he vnderstandeth that language The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what wee should pray for as we ought 〈◊〉 8.26 but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with gronings which cannot be vttered And albeit he hold his peace for a time and seeme to winke at their cruell practises as if he saw them not or heard them not or knew them not yet when the appointed time commeth he will no longer keepe silence but shew himselfe to be the deliuerer of his people and the reuenger of his and their enemies We saw before out of the booke of Exodus what mercy he promiseth to his people being in misery He had a feeling of their afflictions and after a sort felt what they felt Behold what words of comfort sweeter then the hony the holy combe he vttreth I haue seene I haue heard I know I am come downe He saw their afflictions he heard their cryes he hath knowne their sorrowes he came downe to deliuer them from their persecuters If the Lord had vsed only one of these words I haue surely seene the affliction of my people it had beene as balme to refresh vs it had beene as marrow vnto our bones and as wine and oyle powred into our wounds but when he vseth foure words it is more then a doubling and a trebling of our comfort to asswage the bitternesse of the crosse so that albeit it be more sharp then vineger more bitter then gal wormwood yet they are sufficient to allay the one the other Reasons why God holdeth his peace in our afflictions God doth sometimes after a sort hide himselfe and hold his peace turne his back from vs whē we are in trouble to manifest the more the greatnesse of his power and mercy in our deliuerance to stirre vs vp to prayer and calling vpon him for helpe to teach vs to remoue all confidence and trust in our selues or in the sons of men to weane vs from the loue of the world to encrease our zeale to try our faith and patience and to harden the hearts of our enemies that he may gaine glory to his great name in their destruction He doth not delay to helpe vs and put off the time to deliuer vs because he hath forsaken vs or forgotten vs it is not because he is not able to restore vs it is not because he cannot represse and quaile the fury of our enemies it is not because he hath cast off the care of vs forasmuch as he knoweth what they practise and what we suffer according to the heauenly saying of the Psalmist Psal 34.11 The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open vnto their cry but the face of the Lord is against them that doe euill to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth Let vs therefore comfort our selues in God while we finde no comfort at all in men Let vs put on the armour of prayer and teares these are our spirituall weapons strong to throw downe mountaines and mighty to preuaile against the greatest tyrants that seeke to deface the trueth and destroy the Church The weapons of the Church are not swords and staues or speares and shields or munition and multitudes of men but as the warfare of it is spiritual and that it wrastleth not against flesh and blood but against principalities powers against the rulers of the darkenesse of this world and against spiritual wickednes in high places so the weapons thereof must be spirituall answerable vnto the battell which we are to make and fit to encounter such aduersaries as oppose against vs. To this purpose doth the Prophet bring in the Church putting their confidence in him Lord in trouble haue they visited thee Esay 26.16 17 they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them like as a woman with child that draweth neere the time of her deliuery is in paine and cryeth out in her pangs so haue we beene in thy sight O Lord. The like we see in Iehoshaphat when many enemies came against him and his people to cast them out of the possession which God had giuen them to inherit he rested not in his owne power neither trusted he in his owne policy but dependeth vpon God and flyeth vnto him saying O our God wilt thou not iudge them for we haue no might against this great company that commeth against vs neither know we what to do but our eyes are vpon it hee and all Iudah stood before the Lord with their little ones their wiues and their children 2. Chron. 20.12.13 On the other side as this consideration of Gods infinite knowledge and discouery of all secrets ministreth exceeding comfort to the godly that lie vnder the crosse and putteth them in assured hope of future deliuerance so it serueth as a terrour to all their enemies that oppresse them and trouble them they shall not escape him that seeth their counsels though they digge neuer so deepe to hide them hee heareth their slanders and reprochful taunts though they seeke to couer them neuer so cunningly and secretly God that is omnipotent cannot be vniust he will reward euery one according to his works and therefore Elihu saith in the booke of Iob His eyes are vpon the wayes of man and hee seeth all his goings there is no darkenesse nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselues Iob 34.21 22. They thinke they goe closely to worke but alas poore blinde men they see not that God seeth them They thinke they haue a vizard ouer their faces and cannot bee knowne whereas their foule offences are written in their forehead They thinke they are in the darke and couered with the night whereas the light shineth round about them more cleerly then the Sun at noone day This ought to strike a feare of Gods power and presence into the hearts of all wicked men No man is so impudent and past shame to commit euill in the Magistrates sight and before his eyes whom he knoweth to bee endued with authority armed with power and to beare the sword of iustice in his hand to cut off all euill doers Shall wee then dare doe that before God which we dare not doe before men or shall we presume to doe that in his sight which we are ashamed or afraid to doe in the presence of mortall man He is all an eye to see all he is all an eare to heare all he is all an heart to vnderstand all Or shall we be so
30 1 Chro. â— Mal. 27. 1 King 21 5 7. Num. 15.34.35 both in his word and by his Ministers The Spirit speaketh euidently in the Scriptures by it he resolueth the Church no lesse then by an oracle from heauen besides for our farther direction he giueth the knowledge of his word to the Ministers who draw al their light from the word and doe thereby aske counsell as at the mouth of God The reasons are very euident First the Scriptures Reason 1 are all sufficient to improue and correct 2 Tim. 3.16 Rom 15 4. to teach and to instruct to giue patience and comfort Ioh 20 31. 2 Tim. 3.15 that we may beleeue haue eternall life and to make vs wise vnto saluation Secondly such as will not beleeue them and reply vpon them will beleeue nothing else no although one come from the dead Luke 16 31 It is therefore the foundation of faith to resort to these meanes to be resolued as to the oracle and ordinance of God Psal 85.8 Obserue from hence that all questions in Vse 1 Religion must be decided and determined by the Scriptures All doctrines are to be prooued by them and al errors to be conuinced by them The Scripture is the supreme iudge of all councels and controuersies The supreâ—â— Iudge of aâ—â— controuerâ—â— it sendeth not the Church to the generall consent of the Pastours of the Church nor turneth them ouer to expect a general councel nor posteth them ouer to Rome as the Gentiles resorted to Delphos to consult with the Oracle of Apollo It is in vaine to neglect the straight direct way to seeke out by-pathes and vncertaine passages It neuer taught the Pope and his Cardinals to be the highest court and supreme Iudges of Scripture who oftentimes are ignorant of Scripture It cannot be interpreted but by the same Spirit by which it was written It is required of the supreme Iudge and interpreter of Scripture that he cannot erre that no appeale be made from him that he be no way partiall and that he haue power to compell the parties dissenting to yeeld obedience These properties agree not to the Bishop of Rome he is not free from error for many of theÌ„ haue falne into heresy haue taught contrary things one to the other haue made many foolish interpretations he is a meere man and can compell no mans wil to yeeld vnto him he is partiall in his own cause and therfore to appeale to him is to aske ones fellow if he be a theefe Secondly the Scripture containeth all Vse things necessary to saluation to withstand tentations Matth. 4. and to build vs vp in all trueth So that it is simply and absolutely necessary The doctrine of saluation cannot be learned but from it The knowledge of the law is necessary Rom. 7.7 the knowledge of the Gospel is necessary Tit. 2.11.12 Neither let any obiect that the Church wanted Scripture along time euen from the creation to the dayes of Moses for the Question is not what was necessary in the beginning but what is now necessary The mothers milke is sufficient for the infant while it is a childe but it is not sufficient afterward when once it is growne vp Neither is it true which the Iesuite obiecteth that Christ commanded not any thing to be written but is ouerthrowne by many testimonies of Scripture 2. Pet. 1.21.2 Tim. 3.16 Reuel 1.11 and 14.13 Vse 3 Thirdly it teacheth that the Ministers ought to be ready to answere the questions and doubts that trouble the people any way Therefore they must be faithfull in their places and skilfull in the Scriptures Hag. 2.12.13 they must not be blind guides dumb dogs Ezek. 34.4 their lippes must preserue knowledge and the people seeke the Law at their mouthes Againe it is required of them to be resident vpon their flocks attending on them as watchmen watch the citie alwayes in danger of enemies to discouer the approach of them and as shepheards attending their flock for feare of deuouring wolues 〈◊〉 56 9 10. The people are as a prey in the iawes of al hereticks where teachers are not attending and residing The Israelites fell into horrible idolatry when Moses was absent from them Exod. 32.1 But how shall the Ministers be consulted withall being absent from the people Vse 4 Lastly it serueth for instruction for the people They are not to consult with witches and wizards but to resort to the Ministers of God Deut. 18.15 and to the word to the law and to the testimonie Esay 8.19.20 Princes therfore must not contemne them nor respect theÌ„ as the lowest and basest of the people And all people high and low rich and poore must search the Scriptures who thinke to haue eternall life in them Ioh. 5.39 They are greatly commended that were diligent in the reading of them Acts 8.30 and 18.11 Dauid did exercise himselfe in them day and night Psal 1.2 None are to be forbidden the reading of them forasmuch as the Gospel is the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue Rom. 1.16 They are greatly reprooued and rebuked â—hat were ignorant in them Mar. 12.24 that were slow of heart to beleeue them Luk. 24.25 Euery man therefore must seeke to be assured perswaded in his heart of that which he doth 〈◊〉 14.5 and seeke to warrant his owne work All things must be done in faith Hebr. 4.2 Mar. 11.24 Iam. 1.5 without which no man can please God This reprooueth the ignorance that is in the greatest sort who thinke it enough to doe as others doe to heare the word because others do so to receiue the Lords Supper because they see their neighbours doe so and to come to Church because the most do so These thinke it enough to be present at diuine duties albeit they be indeed farre from doing their duties There are many that come and heare prayers Many do hear prayers which neuer pray who do neuer offer vp any prayers as if there were some hidden vertue in the place or in the praier albeit they neuer lift vp their hearts to God These haue not neither can haue any comfort in that which they doe They are without faith because they are without knowledge They haue no assurance whether they please God or not but doe all things with doubtfull hearts and wauering mindes and therein condemne themselues and sin against God Rom. 14 23. Iam. 1.6 being like a waue of the Sea tossed with the winde Verse 9.10 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Speake vnto the children c. The determination of the question is heere set downe and vpon occasion thereof perpetuall lawes established for the direction of the Church The vncleane are put off to the 14. day of the second moneth the cleane must keepe the Lords Passeouer at the season appointed There are two causes alledged wherfore a man may for a time be excused for not comming to the Passeouer and is allowed as vnblameable
destruction are fearfull to all men to take heed that we abuse not the patience of God by liuing in knowne sin and flattering our selues in it lest we be swept away sodainly Manie men are oftentimes praying and desiring God to keepe them from sodain death they would by no meanes dye sodainly yet these men by abusing the patience of God and continuing in sinne do take the direct way and course to bring sodaine death and destruction vppon themselues It is a manifest token of a plaine and ranke hypocrite to craue to be kept from sodaine death and in the meane season to doe nothing but practise and commit sinne with greedinesse Certainly he that thus prayeth doth it for no other end but because he is desirous to liue longer to commit euill He is afraide to come to an account and yet he wold liue longer to make his account greater and more fearefull Would we not therefore be sodainly destroyed Wee must labour to see the plague and flie But whither not from God for he is farre swifter then possibly wee can bee who rideth vpon the winges of the winde and can quickly ouertake vs we must flye to God and seeke to him for pardon betimes and labour earnestly for a reconciliation with him The birds of the aire escape the snares of the fowler by flying but whither and how is it and what do they not by flying downe on the earth for so they are taken but by flying vpward the higher so much the safer So should we flie not downe from God but flie on high flie vp to God and seeke vnto him for him we haue offended and of him we must craue and shall obtaine forgiuenesse Let vs preuent his iudgements by our repentance otherwise we shall perish sodainly And when once we haue obtained his fauour and made peace with him though sodaine death come vpon vs as it did vpon righteous Abel well-meaning Vzzah religious and godlye Iosiah yet happy and blessed shall we be It is wisedome not to put off the day of iudgement neither our particular day of iudgement Amos 6 3. It is the occasion of many euils when a man neuer thinketh vpon the day of his dissolution and dreameth that the day of comming to his answer is not neare Many impenitent persons put off the day of their repentance in hope to haue time enough heereafter whereas repentance is not in our owne power and that which is late is sildome true and his iudgements are sodain yea so sodain that sundry which promised vnto their soules many yeres leisure and liberty to repent haue not had so much warning as to say Lord haue mercy vpon me Wee haue had many examples of this daily and therefore let vs be euermore ready and prepared before hand CHAP. XII MOses in this chapter goeth forward to set downe another murmuring 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 murâ— against 〈◊〉 which did nerer touch him then the former Such as are mentioned in the Chapters before infected in a manner the whole people this is more particular and is directed directly against himselfe raysed by his owne sister and brother both elder then himselfe Wherein consider two things First their sinne secondly the processe of God against them for their sinne Touching the first obserue that though both of them sinned yet Miriam his sister hath the chiefe hand in the sinne who drew Aaron by perswasion into a practise and participation of it as the people had done before when they mooued him to make the golden Calfe Exod. 32 1 2. they were the authors of that idolatry Aaron was drawne to consent vnto it Miriam 〈◊〉 chief â—er That shee was the first in this trespasse may appeare first because the verbe in the originall is of the Feminine gender and ioyned in construction with Miriam which serueth also to strengthen the reason Secondly she is named in the first place not preferred for honors sake for there is no honour in committing of euil but because she had the principall hand in it Thirdly because the punishment fell onely vpon her and not vpon Aaron who was euen constrained by her importunity as it were against his will to ioyne with her â—â—casions 〈◊〉 marâ—e The occasions which both of them take to exalt and magnifie themselues and to call the authority of Moses in question are double his marriage and his calling The marriage of Moses was with the woman that was a Cushite which seemeth to be no other then Zipporah the Midianite For first we reade not of her death who was brought to him by her Father immediately before the giuing of the Law Exod. â—8 5. Again it is not to be thoght that hee would marry two wiues especially being now 80. yeeres olde vnfit for any new marriage and it being contrary to the first institution Thirdly we reade of no other sons that he had but Gershom and Eliezer Exod. 2 2 22 and 4 20. 18 3. 1 Chron. 23 14 15. both which he had by Zipporah the daughter of Iethro Who this woman was that Moses maried so that woman is like to be no other then this Zipporah whom he maried when he fled out of Egypt and soiourned in Midian For the Midianites are called Cushites not that they came of Cush the eldest son of Ham Gen. 10 6. but because they possessed part of the land of Cush And it may wel be that some strife and contention arose first of all between Zipporah and Miriam a common thing vnto that sexe as fell out betweene Sarah Agar betweene Rahel and Leah and between Hannah and Peninnah and haply it might bee for place and precedency Miriam bearing her selfe bold that she was a Prophetesse and of the seede of Abraham but Zipporah a forreiner and a stranger from Israel And on the other Zipporah alledging and pretending for her selfe that shee was the wife of Moses the cheefe Gouernor of the people and therefore as the cheefe roome was due to him before other men so to her before other women The other occasion was the office and calling of Moses they enuied his dignity and authority For Genesis 13 8. as in of Abrahams house the strife arose among the herdmen of his cattel and of Lots the flame whereof burned so fast that it caught holde vpon the masters themselues and had quite consumed them had it not bene wisely timely preuented so this quarrel as a spark of fire arising among the women for the vppermost roome and cheefest seate couered for a season vnder the ashes at length brake out into a flame and caught hold of Moses against whom Miriam and Aaron stroue As if they fhould say Thou art not so great a Prophet as thou wouldest be accounted haue not the seuenty Elders the Spirit of God and the gift of prophesie as well as thou and haue not we that gift also This is amplified by a double effect one in God he heard it the other in Moses he held his
is highly to be praised and his goodnesse to bee acknowledged toward vs whiles others are hardned in their sinne and freedom from punishment emboldneth them to their destruction 13 And Moses cryed vnto the Lord saying Heale her now O Lord I beseech thee 14 And the Lord said vnto Moses If her father had but spit in her face should she not be ashamed seuen dayes let her be shut out of the campe seuen dayes and after that let her be receiued in againe In these words we haue the prayer of Moses and the answere of God when we cry God heareth Where we see it is our duty to pray one for another to commend the causes of others vnto God When we see them in misery and affliction we must be intercessors for them We must doe it for our enemies and them that hate vs and haue done vs wrong So it was with Moses in this place Againe it appeareth hereby that the rebukes of parents are not lightly and slightly to be regarded of children when they threaten or shew an angry looke or a frowing countenance it should worke shame and sorrow in them 2 Sam. 14.24 Great is the authority of parents ouer their children and great should be the reuerence of children toward their parents of which we shall speake more chap. 30. They are ouer their children in the Lord and must gouerne them in his feare Neuerthelesse the authority of God is much more ouer vs then ours is ouer our children therfore his chastisements ought to goe neerer to vs and more to humble vs then the threatnings and chastisements of earthly parents Heb. 12.9 10. We haue had the fathers of our flesh which corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence shall we not be much rather in subiection vnto the Father of spirits and liue for they verely for a few daies chastened vs after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might bee partakers of his holinesse The power of parents is a limited power for they must rule in the Lord and the obedience of children is a limited obedience for they must obey in the Lord Eph. 6.1 but the power of God is absolute ouer his children and our obedience to him must be in all things Besides we may gather that God heareth the prayers of his seruants diuers wayes sometimes hee granteth whatsoeuer we aske sometimes he giueth more then we aske sometimes he heareth in part that which we desire and in part heareth not part the granteth and part he denyeth and sometimes he giueth not the same which wee aske but some other blessing like it or greater then it and sometimes he granteth our petitions when he asisteth vs comforteth vs and giueth vs patience to beare that he layeth vpon vs of al which we haue sundry examples in the word of God And howsoeuer it pleaseth him to deale with vs and whether soeuer of these wayes he heareth our prayers wee must submit our willes to his will and rest our selues contented with that he sendeth Moreouer greeuous sinners and open and grosse offenders should bee shut out of the Church wherof we haue at large spoken before chapter 5. where we haue handled the whole doctrine in a maner of excommunication but when they be penitent are throughly humbled for their sins they must be admitted into the Congregation againe and receiued into the bosome of the Church to be partakers of the priuiledges thereof Howbeit through the corruption of Church officers and the abuse of the censurers of the Church â—e abuses of â—â—communiâ—â—â—ion some are cast out that ought to be kept in and nourished as obedient children of the Church Thus it befell to the blinde man he gaue glory to God being made to see but he was cast out of the Synagogue by the Pharisies Iohn 9 34 35. Hee was a worthy member of the church hee beleeued in Christ and worshipped him It is a comfort to all such as are thus intreated Againe others are kept in the church and fostered in it who iustly deserue to bee throwne out by the power of the keyes and to haue the spiritual sword drawn out against them so it was with the incestuous Corinthian that married his fathers wife 1 Cor. 5 1. hee deserued iustly to bee put away from among them yet they suffered this sword to rest in the sheath and purged not out that old leauen but suffered him to remaine among them 1 Cor. 5 1 7 13. Such remissenesse and negligence was found in the churches of Pergamus and Thyatira Reu. 2.14 15.20 Others that are iustly banished out of the Church for some notorious crime committed against God and offence giuen to the Church are notwithstanding vniustly kept out after their repentance and humiliation so it was with the penitent Corinthian he was much humbled for his sinne and offence 〈◊〉 taketh 〈◊〉 for reâ—ing the â—mmuni◠〈…〉 into the â—ch aswel 〈◊〉 putâ—ing 〈◊〉 out of â—hurch yet the Church was not so careful to receiue him in as a member againe as they ought to haue bene but as before they kept him in when he should haue bin reiected so now they kept him out when he should haue bene receiued 2 Cor. 2.7.8 9.10.11 And if any be thus dealt withall as many haue bene in former times let vs consider that our cause is not strange and singular it is no other then hath befaln sundry the deere children of God before vs. Let her be shut out of the Campe seuen dayes c. Notwithstanding the former prayer of Moses Miriam must be put out from among them Moses though he were much wronged yet neuer complained to God against his brother sister nor against their wrongs yet God will not pardon but punisheth for those wrongs For albeit he did passe ouer those iniuries yet God will not passe them ouer and though he did not cry to God yet their sinne did cry and God heard that crie The Doctrine is this that though Gods children pray not against their enemies that wrong them and oppresse them â—â—â—â—rine 〈◊〉 Gods 〈◊〉 put 〈…〉 yet their wrongs cry out aloud and God heareth and punisheth the doers of wrong The faithfull are of a patient nature and holde their peace when they are laden with cart-loades of iniuries and reproches neuerthelesse God will not hold his peace they are meeke as Moses was and put them vp but God will not put them vp nor suffer them to go vnpunished When Abel was slaine by the treachery of his brother he could not cry out but after his death his bloode cried out for vengeance Gen. 4 10. Heb. 11 4. and 12.24 Hab. 2 10.11 Iames 4.5 So did Naboths bloode cry for vengeaâ—â—â— when he was dead and that cry was heard And no maruell For it is the office of God to execute vengeance hee is the Lord the auenger Reason 1 that will not hold the wicked innocent nor cleere the guilty Exod. 34 7. Hee hath said Vengeance is
of wiar to draw blood in many places True it is he was not striken with this raging pestilence neuerthelesse he was diuersly punished with it with greefe and sorrow with horrour feare with losse of his subiects of his honor Pro. 14 28 The vses First this serueth as an admonition Vse 1 to all parents to teach theÌ„ that if they loue their sons they must leaue their sins and walke in a carefull obedience to the law of God If they doe not remember his commandements it shall come to passe that he will not remember their children for good but for euill If theÌ„ there be no loue in vs either toward God or our selues yet for the childrens sake of our body and for our posterity that come after vs we should labour to forsake our sins For his iudgements shall not end in vs but follow vs at the heeles and fall vpon such as are neere vs and belong vnto vs. God will take vengeance of the children for the sins of the parents although they haue in themselues enough to worke out their owne destruction yea thogh they haue no more in them but originall sinne Many loue their children better then themselues and desire their good more then their owne If we would indeed shew our loue to them we must walke in obedience vnto God To say we loue them dearely and yet to liue prophanely is vtterly to deceiue our selues To commit wickednesse with greedinesse is not the way to shew our loue to them or to procure their safety but rather to make them partakers with vs in the punishment Many children may now say to their parents as Zipporah said to Moses for as she said Exod. 4 26. Thou art a bloody husband to me in like manner may many children say to their parents Yee are indeede bloody parents vnto vs because they haue brought the curse of God both vpon themselues and vpon their posterity Alasse do men marry wiues to bring forth children to Satan to be cast into the fire of Gods wrath Is there no care in you O fathers no loue in you O mothers to your owne children the fruite of your owne bodies If there be any sparke of piety nay of pitty and compassion in vs let vs shew it in this by forsaking of our sinnes and by reforming of our liues whatsoeuer is amis in vs and by giuing vnto them a good example of life otherwise most certainely we shal finde the wrath of God extended euen to our houses and little ones he will forget to shew mercy vnto them but in great wrath heauy displeasure will he remember them Let not these things be forgotten but remembred grauen in our hearts to wit that wicked parents are the greatest enemies to their children We cannot abide that others should intreate them euilly when in the meane season none do more hurt them and misuse them theÌ„ our selues Vse 2 Secondly it reproueth those parents that imagine by fraud and oppression wrongful iniurious dealing to set vp their children and enrich their posterity and get to themselues great names whereas this is the ready way to bring the curse of God vpon their names vpon their substance vpon their houses vpon their children vpon their labours and vpon all their posterity Such couetous practises whatsoeuer their pretences be cannot build vp their houses which they might easily know if they did beleeue the word which teacheth that God is an auenger of all such things 1. Thess â— 2 11.12 4 6. And the Prophet telleth vs that the stone shall cry out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shall answer it woe to him that buildeth a Towne with blood c. This woe fell vpon Ahab that ruined his house as it doth many great houses in our daies Vse 3 Thirdly this warneth vs that therefore we should not sleepe securely in sin because God by and by punisheth it one way or other The wicked are often seene in great power spreading themselues like the greene bay tree Psal 37 35 and they go vnpunished for a while Ps 73. Iob 21. but looke vpon their posterity and you shall see GOD meeteth with them in his good time yea often when they are dead and rotten Euill doing is alwaies attended with euill successe in themselues or in those that are theirs â—otable â—cment of 〈◊〉 We see tyrants and bloody persecutors flourish and prosper for a time howbeit if not in their owne persons yet in the second or third descent they haue beene buried vnder the ruines of those buildings of which the mortar had beene tempered with innocent blood We noted this before in the person of Ahab after he had shed the blood of Naboth the true seruant of God and of his children who I pray you could do greater hurt to his owne house then himselfe Did not hee in a manner pull it downe with his owne hands for therefore was the kingdome taken away and remoued from his house and his seuenty children were all slaine with the edge of the sword 1 Kings 21 21. Behold I will bring euill vpon thee and will take away thy posterity c. Thus was it with Ieroboam who made Israel to sin God swept him away and all his stocke as dung from the face of the earth 1 King 14.10 It behoueth therefore Princes and subiects to pray one for another forasmuch as GOD taketh occasion by the sinne of one man to punish another This duty should also be performed of fathers and children of masters and their families lest God cast them together in one iudgement Lastly children ought not in all things to Vse 4 follow the example of their parents It is no iust defence or good excuse before GOD to say our parents did so If they haue bin wicked swearers and blasphemers contemners of the word of the Sabbaths of God we must not follow them in their sins lest we reape the fruite of that which they haue sowne Wherefore children must not walke in the wicked waies of their fathers but rather bee humbled and craue pardon and forgiuenesse euen for their sins which they after a sort haue bequeathed as a legacy vnto them so that their children inherite their sinnes as well as their substance because they send forth an euill sauour which bringeth downe the curse of God vpon them as Dan. 9 8 16 where Daniel doth not onely confesse his owne sin and of others that then liued but he is wonderfully cast downe for the sins of their predecessors For our sins for the iniquities of our fathers Ierusalem and thy people are become a reproch to all that are about vs. And the Lord promiseth on the other side that he which seeth his fathers sins is humbled for them and doth not the like shall not be punished for them Ezek. 18.14 but shal finde God mercifull vnto him but whosoeuer seeth the wickednesse of his fathers and iustifieth them by word or practise
Alâ—est 11 â—catech 15 in 2 Thes by most of the Ancients Lastly the conditions and qualities of Antichrist do bewray the same also Now hee is plainly described by the Apostle 2 Thess 2 4. yea so plainly as if then hee had bene alreadie come and reuealed to the world He is saide to bee an aduersary opposed to Christ yet not professed but disguised for vnder the maske and vizard of hypocrisie he oppugneth Christ and his truth and denieth the Lord Iesus to be that Christ annointed to be the only King the onely Priest and the onely Prophet of the church in all which the byshop of Rome will haue a share and communicateth them to others This high priest is no better then an apostate a star falne from heauen he lifteth vp himselfe aboue all that is called God that is all to whom the name of God is communicated and sitteth in the temple of God as god Fourthly a perfect papist that is such a one as acknowledgeth the Councell of Trent and is obedient to the doctrine of the Iesuites caÌ„not be a good subiect neither obey for conscience sake for he beleeueth the Popes sentence in excommunication to be good nay to be Gods sentence hee obeyes so long as pleaseth the pope and his instruments he keepeth not promise or oath with heretikes he receiueth pardons to free from loyalty and allegeance harboureth Seminaries looketh for a golden day practiseth the most diuellish deuices to establish popery entertaineth conference with his Princes sworne enemies and maintaineth that this proud prelate may depose Princes by his priestly power Lastly it is daÌ„gerous to Prince and State to permit them forasmuch as hereby they haue meanes to work and wreak their malice Recusants will conuerse with Iesuites most freely and Iesuites shall not bee kept to any good termes and behauior whereby the secrets of the land are disclosed home-bred foes are encreased good subiects are discoraged and meanes affoorded to hollow-hearted enemies to forecast and to fortify themselues Vse 2 Secondly this serueth to reproue diuers sorts that erre in practise offend against this rule And first of all such as seek reuenge and therby shew themselues far from true loue To reuenge wrongs is proper to God we must not intrude vpon his office neither vsurp his right Deu. 32 35. Ro. 12 19. Heb. 10 30. Psal 94 1. Pro. 14 29. If we practise this wee worke wickednes against him and prouoke him to work reuenge vpon our selues Is it a small offence for any subiect to vsurp the office of the Prince or of the Iudge in giuing sentence vpon any Such vsurpers are such persons against GOD. Againe it serueth to rebuke such as will not forgiue how can such perswade themselues to be members of the church and one body with their brethreÌ„ while they refuse to be one with them These doe make an heauy law against themselues Mat. 6 14 15. 18 22. 5 44. 1 Pet. 3 8. Thirdly such as haue no feeling of the troubles calamities of their brethren Heb. 13 3. much more such as adde affliction to the afflicted The captiuate Iews complain against the insolency and cruelty of the Caldeans Ps 137 3. they required of them in scorn and derision to sing in their hearing one of the songs of Sion and made themselues merry when they saw them heauie hearted The enemies of God and his people are vnmerciful haue no pitty Esay 47 6. God reprooueth for this Psal 102 19. Lastly all members of the church should liue Vse 3 in all loue peace and concord one with another Gen. 13. considering we are brethren and auoid all dissention and discord As in the naturall body we see how one member is readie to aid affect another and stand for the good of another so should it be in the mysticall body all should be vnited together As the subiects of one Prince that belong to one kingdome are subiect to the same lawes bound to maintaine mutuall peace one with another so if God be our king and rule in our harts by his word and Spirit and if wee belong to his kingdome wee must imbrace one another in loue Ephes 4 3. and endeuor to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace We must do nothing through strife and vainglory Phil. 2.3 1 Cor. 1 10. We must all speake the same things that there be no diuision among vs. Hatred is a fruit of the flesh Gal. 5 20. Galath 6 2. On the other side to walk in loue is to walk in the spirit and it is a fruite of the gospell 1 Cor. 13.1 14 1. If we haue neuer so excellent gifts all remaine vnprofitable without this Now The way to try whether the loue of the brethren be in vs. the way to trie whether this be in vs toward the brethren is to examine it by these foure rules First Christian loue must not begin for any worldly respects nor end for wordly respects and considerations but principally must be for and in God Carnal loue is begun for carnall respects and therefore soon withereth away We must loue our brethren principally because they are the sons of God and members of Christ Ioh. 20 17. They are his brethren and he accounteth them so and therefore if God be our Father and Christ our brother they also must be our brethreÌ„ This is expressed by the Apostle 1 Iohn 5 1. Euerie one that loueth him that begate loueth him also which is begotten that is whosoeuer loueth God the Father loueth also the sonnes of God Secondly true Christian loue must not bee outward in shew onely but inward in the heart 1 Iohn 3 18. To loue in shew is the loue of Caine toward Abel Thirdly wee must loue those that are our enemies and hate vs for if we loue them onely that loue vs what singular thing do we or what reward haue wee Math. 5 46 47. Lastly Christian loue must not be onely in time of prosperity but is chiefely tried in aduersity when most neede is This rule is set downe by the Apostle Iohn Whosoeuer hath this worlds goods and seeth his Brother haue need and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him 1 Iohn 3 17. And Salomon sheweth that a friend loueth at all times and a brother is borne for aduersitie Prou. 17 7. In time of peace and plenty euery one will seeme a friend but not in miserie The poore is hated euen of his owne neighbour but the rich hath many friends Prouerbes chap. 14. verse 20. howbeit in time of neede is the true friend tried These rules must serue for our instruction wee must loue all those that are the sonnes of God by grace and adoption wee must loue al those that are the brethren of Christ by faith sanctification wee must loue them inwardly in truth and in heart wee must loue our enemies and not onely in
7. verse 14. Math. 1. verse 23. Luk. 1 31. The Reasons follow First that so he might Reason 1 worke faith in them that otherwise would not beleeue Thus doth God take away all excuse when he worketh aboue nature as Exod. 4 1. When Moses was sent to the Israelites in Egypt to tell them of their deliuerance that God had heard their grones and sighes had seene al their troubles and miseries he alledged that the people wold not beleeue him nor hearken vnto his voice and therefore did the Lord inable him to turne his rod into a serpent the serpent into his rodde that so they might beleeue that the Lord God of their fathers had appeared vnto him Exod. 4 5. Againe he is willed to put his hand into his bosome and when he pulled it out it was leprous as snow verse 6. and putting his hand into his bosome againe when he pulled it out Behold it was turned again as his other flesh verse 7. Whereupon the Lord saith If they will not beleeue thee nor hearken to the voice of the first signe they wil beleeue the voice of the latter signe verse 8. And if they would not beleeue either the one or the other hee is yet willed to take the water of the Riuer and to poure it vpon the dry land and the water should become blood vpon the dry land Secondly God getteth glory hereby among Reason 2 his children his praise is by it set forth when by nothing else Wee are mooued at strange things Iohn 11 15 45. and taught to beleeue Lazarus was raised from the dead who had lyen in the graue foure dayes ver 39. to shew forth Gods glory verse 40. Math. 9 8. Luke 13 13. and 23 47. So that miracles serue to worke faith in vs and to gaine glory to God The Vses First consider from hence the greatnes and Vse 1 power of God who is to bee compared vnto him Esay 44 24. and 45 5. None of all the creatures be they neuer so excellent in strēgth and glorious in power can do such things therefore nothing can be matched with him let him therefore be preferred aboue all This is the vse vrged by Moses in his song of thāksgiuing after their passing ouer the red sea Exod 15 10 11. and Psal 77.12 13 14. He is the onely author of miracles hee it is onely that properly doth them and no other For a miracle is a worke wrought aboue the strength of nature as we shall shew more largely afterward But no creature can worke aboue the course of nature he onely that is the author of nature must do it Obiect But it may bee obiected that some of the Prophets did raise the dead as Eliah 1 Kin. 17 21 22. and Elisha 2 King 4 34 35. made Iron to swim being an heauy thing to ascend vpward 2 Kings 6 6. commanded fire to come from heauen being a light thing to descend downward 2 Kin. 1 10. healed many incureable diseases 2 Kings 5 10. and wrought many great workes Heb. 11 33 34 35. So did the Apostles raise the dead cleanse the Leapers restore sight to the blind healed the sick cast out diuels and this was their office calling to which they were appointed Math. 10 8. Answer Acts 5 15. 19 12. I answer the gift which they had was the faith of miracles And this was done in this manner God reuealed vnto them by his Spirit that he would worke such and such a miracle when they prayed thereupon either by commanding the euill spirit to depart in the name of Christ or by imposition of hands in other workes they wrought the same They hauing this knowledge by reuelation of the purpose of God beleeued the same and were as the mouth of God and the hand of God being his messengers to signifie what he would do Marke 11 22 23. Heb. 11 33 34. They then had no power of their own it was the diuine power onely that wrought them Obiect But some will say that the diuels can work miracles contrary to nature and therefore it is not proper to God Answer I answer hee can worke wonders but not miracles For though euery miracle be a wonder yet euery wonder is not a miracle He can do things extraordinary or otherwise then the common course of nature but he cannot worke aboue or against nature Thus he caused fire to fall from heauen the winds to blow downe dwelling houses as we see in the history of Iob. Hee also caused blisters and vlcers to arise in his body and without question they were true vlcers as the Scriptures plainly setteth downe and Iob truly felt Iob 2 7 8. Howbeit this he did no otherwise but by the force of nature for he cannot make raine or thunder or lightning or winde or storme or tempest this is the worke of God and commeth from his hand Gen. 7 4. Deut. 11 14. 28 12. 1 Sam. 12 17 18. 1 Kin. 8 35 36. God only sendeth the raine the diuel cannot make it and 17 14. 18 1. 2 Kin. 3 17. Iob 5 10. and 28 26. and 37 23 45. Psalme 105 32. 107 25. 135 7. 147 8. 148 7 8. Ier. 5 24. 10 13. 51 16. Zach. 10 1. Acts 14 17. Iames 5 18. The deuill cannot make the matther whereof the rain is ingendred They then are deceiued that thinke the deuill is able to make raine or haile or snow or vapor or the least flye that flyeth in the aire or the smallest worme that creepeth in the earth Neuerthelesse when the matter of stormes tempests is prepared of God he can gather it and hasten it and make it more terrible and carrie it from place to place from country to country For as hee can assume a body but not make a body so he can vse the winde but not create the winde If stormes and windes might bee raised and framed by the power of satan they might be said to execute his word he might be said to be the father of the raine So then briefly it is safest to hold this as a trueth that God caused the fire but satan brought it vpon Iobs flocke God caused the winde but satan draue it vpon the foure corners of the house For when once they are raised satan hath power by Gods permission to carry and transport them from Region to Region so that when naturally they blow one way he can besides nature turne them another way neuerthelesse he is not able to send winds or raise tempests where none are It may be further said Obiection that the sorcerers of Egypt did bring forth Frogs and turne water into blood and rods into serpents and such like Ex. 7 11 22. 8 7. I answer Answ it may be satan did fetch these frogs and serpents from other places and conuey them in a moment into the presence of Pharaoh and of his Princes for the effecting whereof more
as a gift of God let him chuse them before they make choise of him let the gifts of God in him commend him before any write letters of praise for him They shall one day answer to God for the soules of such as perish through their default There is no dalying with Church-liuings let them therefore prouide sufficient Preachers for their own discharge in the great day of account Sixtly as they must looke vnto it that haue power to present so must they that haue authority to institute for if they lay their hands rashly vpon any they are thereby partakers of other mens sinnes 1 Tim. 5 22. and therefore they ought to endeuour to keepe themselues pure Seuenthly touching the people they must acknowledge themselues vnworthy of such a blessing and not take it as a fruite of their own deseruings We can deserue no good thing much lesse the greatest good We cannot deserue our daily bread that nourisheth the body much lesse our spirituall meate that feedeth the soule A good Pastour commeth not as lands and liuings by inheritance therefore as Salomon speaketh of a good wife so we may say of a good Minister House and riches are the inheritance of fathers but a good Minister is the gift of God Prou. 19 14. Eightly our duty to God is to loue him a-againe that hath so loued vs and to giue vnto him our hearts our soules and bodies that hath giuen vnto vs such a gift He could not â—estifie his fauour toward vs more theÌ„ by such a sure pledge and loue-token This the Prophet teacheth Psal 147 13 14 15. where he praiseth God for many blessings but for the word as a most speciall blessing aboue all the rest and farre surmounting all such things as are common to all nations and people Hee shewed his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgements vnto Israel Ps 147 19 20 he hath not dealt so with any nation and as for his iudgements they haue not knowne them So then among al the Lords gifts none is comparable to haue faithfull Pastours to feed mens soules with knowledge and vnderstanding and so to bring saluation vnto them True it is God hath many graces in store for vs he giueth riches and health and wealth it is he that healeth all our infirmities and restoreth vs from sicknesse but the gift of the Gospel is aboue all which being entertained bringeth saluation vnto all men The other also are graces they are enriching graces healthy graces wealthy graces healing graces but this is a sauing grace Therefore the Prophet saith If thy word had not beene my comfort I had perished in my affliction Psal 119 92. Ninthly the people should loue their feet that bring glad tydings of good things account them best welcome vnto them True it is the vngodly and prophane of the world can see no such benefit in it nor such good to come by it as to be any way beholding to God the giuer or to the Minister that is the messenger Satan the god of this world hath blinded their eies so that they are become like swine which finde more sauour in the mire of this earth theÌ„ in the sweet perfumes of the Gospel or like to children that value a beautifull toy before a precious stone These account them their enemies that tell them the truth as Ahab did 1. King 21 20. they thinke they come to trouble theÌ„ as Herod all IerusaleÌ„ thought of Christ Math. 2 â— Lastly al good people such as are Gods people should earnestly desire to liue vnder the Ministery of the word where this gift of God is that they may alwaies heare the holy doctrine of saluation sounding in their eares remembring that faith commeth by hearing Ro. 10 17. We see how carefull commonly men are to dwell in wholsome and healthy places where a sweet aire is so if we desire the health and wealth of our soules let vs frequent the preaching of the word and keep the Sabbath with our families by hearing the voice of God As for those barren places where no corne groweth and where no dew nor raine falleth they are vnwholesome flye from them they are dangerous come not neere them Hence it is that the word coupleth preaching and beleeuing together and therefore let no man put them asunder Ioh. 17 20. Acts 8 12 and 14 1. 1 Cor. 15 1 2. No man can be saued except he be called for whom he did predestinate them hee also called Rom 8 30. but he calleth none by his voice from heauen but by his word in the earth Either he calleth immediately by himselfe or mediately by his Ministers but now he hath ceased to call immediately and if we waite for such a calling wee waite vpon our owne vanity we do but deceiue our selues like Herod that waited for the wisemen but they neuer came vnto him If then we would be saued we must first be called and if wee would be called we must heare Gods Ministers speake vnto vs and call vnto vs out of his word 8 And the Lord spake vnto Aaron Behold I also haue giuen thee the charge of mine heaue offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel c. 9 This shall be thine of the most holy things reserued from the fire euery oblation of theirs euery meate offering of theirs and euery sinne offering of theirs c. 10 In the most holy place c. 11 And this is thine the heaue offering of their gift c. 12 All the best of the oyle and all the best of the wine and of the wheat c. 13 And whatsoeuer is first ripe in the land c. 14 Euery thing deuoted in Israel shall be thine 15 Euery thing that openeth the matrice c. 16 And those that are to be redeemed c. 17 But the firstling of a Cow c. 18 And the flesh of them shall be thine c. 19 Al the heaue offrings of the holy things c. We see here that God would haue the Priests to be wholly occupied in the Ministery of his seruice therfore they could not get their liuing with the labor of their hands or by tilling of the ground they might not be Merchants Artificers or Farmers but must wholly attend vpon the worke of the Tabernacle so that the Lord sheweth by what meanes they shold liue and how he would haue them maintained And first of all hee speaketh of the stipend of the Priests which had the worthier calling they were to be maintained by oblations whether meate offerings or sinne offerings or trespasse offerings by the first fruites of the corne of the wine or of the oyle by all things deuoted in Israel by the first borne that openeth the matrice in all flesh whether of men or beasts yet so as that the first borne of men and of vnclean beasts which might not be offered should bee redeemed taking for a man fiue shekels of the Sanctuary
Angel of the Lord had guided them the Arke had gone before them and Manna from heauen had fedde them yet now all is forgotten they beleeue not in God but tempted and prouoked the holy one to anger And yet behold more prouocations then these in these chapters following where we shall see how they complaine and cry out through scarsity of water and through wearinesse of their life when they were stung with the fiery serpents But let vs consider the words of Scripture as they lie in order in this chapter 1 Then the children of Israel came with the whole Congregation into the desert of Zin in the first Moneth and the people abode at Kadesh and Miriam died there and was buried there 2 And there was not water for the Congregation and they assembled against Moses and against Aaron 3 And the people chid with Moses spake saying But would wee had perished when our brethren died before the Lord. 4 And wherefore haue yee caused the Congregation of the Lord to come into this wildernesse that we and our cattell should die there 5 And wherefore haue yee made vs to come vp from Egypt to bring vs into this miserable place No place for seede nor Figges nor Vines nor Pomgranates Neither is there any water to drinke 6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the face of the assembly vnto the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and fell vpon their faces and the glory of the LORD appeared vnto them 7 And the LORD spake vnto Moses saying 8 Take this Rodde and gather thou and thy brother Aaron this Congregation together Of this Râ— and the waters gushing out of it 〈◊〉 more befâ—â— in the next chapter that ye may speake vnto this Rocke before their eyes and it shall giue foorth his waters and thou shalt bring them waters out of this Rocke so thou shalt giue this Congregation and their Cattell drinke 9 Then Moses tooke that Rod from the presence of the Lord as he commanded him 10 And Moses and Aaron caused the Congregation to assemble together before that Rocke and he said vnto them Heare now O ye Rebelles shall we bring you waters out of this Rocke 11 Then Moses lift vp his hand and smote that Rocke with his Rod twice and much water gushed out so the Congregation and their Cattell dranke 12 Wherfore the Lord spake to Moses Aaron Because ye haue not beleeued in me to sanctifie me before the eies of the childreÌ„ of Israel therfore ye shal not bring this CongregatioÌ„ into the Land which I haue giuen them 13 These are the waters of strife where the children of Israel stroue against the Lord he sanctified himselfe among them In this Chapter we are to consider three seuerall things First the murmuring of the people secondly the purpose of the Israelites to passe toward Canaan by the borders of Edom. Thirdly the death of Aaron in the Mountaine in whose stead Eleazar his sonne succeedeth and for whom the people a long time lamenteth All these particulars are amplified in the beginning of the Chapter by the circumstances of time to wit the first moneth of the 40 yeare after their departure out of Egypt as appeareth chap. 33 38. and likewise of the place â—t 2 14. of Kadesh a City in the borders of Edom at which time also Miriam the sister of Aaron and of Moses died These circumstances being set downe the History of their murmuring followeth which we haue often before seene and considered declaring that whensoeuer wheresoeuer any aduersity happened by and by they became impatient vnthankfull and forgetfull of present mercies and fauours A like history to this we saw before Exod. 17. which is not the same recorded in this place but differing in time place as may appeare by collation conference of both the places Now let vs marke their behauiour in this want of water in the wildernesse First they wish they had died by the stroke of Gods hand with the seditious rout of rebels that coÌ„spired against God whom notwithstanding they call their brethren Secondly they expostulate with Moses and Aaron that they had brought them out of Egypt into the wildernesse being barren without fruite miserable without haruest and dry without water Whereas they should comfort themselues in the former mercies of God rest in the experience of his power and remember his helpe euer ready in time of neede they rise vp against Moses and Aaron in shew but in deed against God whom they serued setting downe their present condition and comparing their abode in Egypt where they had tasted all miseries felt all oppressions and groned vnder the heauy burthens with their present estate to amplifie the woe and wretchednesse therof such is their blindnesse and vnthankfulnesse â—mb 12 3. But what doth Moses whose meeke and patient spirit they greeued and whose righteous soule they vexed froÌ„ day to day with their vngodly murmurings Hee doth not heere turne himselfe to them nor dealeth with them to reclaime them as he did chapter 16. but went with Aaron to God flying to the Tabernacle as to a Sanctuary throwing downe theÌ„selues on their faces and comforting themselues in his power presence and protection who being alwaies neere to them that call vpon him shewed forth his glory and commanded them to take the Rodde and speake to the Rocke promising them water and assuring them of an happy issue of all their troubles necessities Now as God commandeth so Moses obeyeth and taketh the Rod. Here a question may be asked Question what Rod God meaneth and Moses taketh for we reade of two Rods famous among them and well knowne one the Rod of Moses that he vsed when he kept sheepe in the Land of Midian Exod. 4 2 3 7 8 19 14 1â— and 17 5. Numb 17 8. Hebr. 7 4. whereby hee wrought afterward many myracles in Egypt and at the red Sea in the wildernesse the other the Rod of Aaron which did bud and beare blossomes to confirme the calling of Aaron and to declare that God had separated the Tribe of Leui to serue in the Tabernacle I answer Answer we are to vnderstand in this place rather the flourishing Rod of Aaron first because Moses made mention of this in the last place not long before to wit chap. 17 the other is not spoken off in this booke so that we are rather to referre it to Aarons Rod before specified then to the other not named Secondly this serued more fitly and fully to confirme their calling of rule and gouernement ouer the people which by these conspiratours was called into question As if they shold say Do you doubt of our calling aske by what authority we do these things Behold this rod do ye not know it this florishing rod shall conuince you and serue to beare witnesse against you Thirdly Moses and Aaron were fled into the Tabernacle verse 6 now chap. 17 10. it is
The Lord is neere to all that call vpon him yea to all that call vpon him in trueth he will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and will saue them Thus the Lord Iesus being zealous in prayer confesseth that his father alwayes heareth him Iohn 11. â— Thus the Angel telleth Cornelius That his prayers are heard Thus the Apostle also teacheth Iam. 1.5 Acts 10 â— If any man want wisedome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him And in the last Chapter Iam. 5 1â— 17 18. Is any among you afflicted let him pray and the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke Helias was a man subiect to like passions as we are he prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth for three yeeres and sixe moneths and he prayed againe and the heauen gaue raine and the earth brought forth her fruit The reasons to assure vs of this truth are Reason 1 first the prâ—mise gone out of his own mouth and the assurance of his owne word who can neuer deceiue nor falsifie his truth This is it which Christ our Sauiour vrgeth Matth. 7.7 8. Aske and it shall be giuen you Seeke and yee shall find Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you for whosoeuer asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall bee opened This is the ground and foundation of our faith in prayer to wit the promise of God without which we can haue no confidence or trust in the mercy of God Againe what man heareth not accepteth Reason 2 not granteth not the requests of his children that come vnto him Men that are euill and corrupt that haue scarce a sparke of the loue that is in God will not turne away their eyes from the miseries of their children much more then will God open the treasures of his graces to bestow vpon vs. This comparison our Sauiour presseth Mat. 7.9 10 11. Where the doctrine hath his confirmation What man is there among you which if his sonne aske him bread would giue him a stone Or if he aske fish will he giue him a serpent If ye then which are euill can giue to your children good gifts how much more shall your Father which is in heauen giue good things to them that aske him And the Prophet saith â— 49.15 Can a woman forget her child and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe though they should forget yet I will not forget thee Let vs come to the vses of this doctrine Vse 1 First it teacheth the blessed estate of the Church and a great priuiledge that the faithfull haue so that no man should say 〈◊〉 3 14. It is vaine to serue God and what prosit is it that wee haue kept his commandements and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hostes But it will be said Heere they are in troubles and torments here they suffer sorrowes and afflictions euery day Be it so â— 8.37 38 Yet herein they are more then conquerors through him that loued them so that neither life nor death shall separate them from Iesus Christ our Lord. The Lord is the Sunne and shield vnto vs â— 84 11. the Lord will giue grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke vprightly So then their tribulations and afflictions shall not hinder their blessednesse but by manifold troubles we shall enter into happinesse and euerlasting life Let our present care bee to serue the Lord and then we shall bee safe vnder his protection and not feare what man can doe vnto vs as the Prophet teacheth Psa 118. 5 6 7. I called vpon the Lord in trouble and the Lord heard me and set me at large the Lord is with me therefore I will not feare what man can do vnto me I shall see my desire vpon mine enemies Let vs therefore walke worthy of this blessed estate and condition seeing wee haue God neere vnto vs and ready to heare vs so often as we poure out our meditations before him There is no comfort like vnto this in this life whereby we obtaine health in sicknesse riches in pouerty safty in danger rest in trouble ioy in sorrow comfort in aduersity So then howsoeuer the vngodly accounteth the life of the faithfull contemptible and miserable aboue all other yet wee see one are truely happy but they For if I can say I haue been hungry and the Lord hath fed me I haue been naked and he hath cloathed me I haue beene sicke and he hath restored me I haue been in dangers and hee hath deliuered me I haue a blessed experience of Gods fauor giuen vnto me and an assurance of future happinesse reserued for me in the heauens Vse 2 Secondly let vs acknowledge it to bee our duty to call vpon him in the day of trouble and in all our necessities to come vnto him For if the righteous cryeth and the Lord heareth him yea deliuereth him out of al his troubles let vs flye vnto him Pro. 18.10 the name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous â—unneth vnto it and is exalted Heere is the onely refuge of the godly against all troubles and aduersities hereby we are instructed to whom we should runne and repaire in all need and necessities A strong Castle secureth those that flye vnto it for succour and defence Such is the fauour of God toward the elect in Christ who are sanctified by the holy Ghost he protecteth those that flye vnto him and they shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty This the Prophet presseth Psal 50.15 Call vpon mee in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Let vs not looke to the hilles or mountaines to men or Angels let vs not trust in friends or in riches in power or policy but know that our helpe cometh from the Lord which hath made heauen and earth who will preserue our going out and our comming in from henceforth and for euer This serueth to condemne the Church of Rome Ioh 14.13 1 Ioh 2.1 who refuse the mediation of Christ to come vnto God and set vp Saints and Angels in his place to vsurpe his office But we are sure that Christ Iesus wil neuer faile vs nor cease to discharge the calling appointed vnto him of his Father Why then doe we not goe directly vnto him that gently calleth and louingly allureth vs Come vnto me all ye that are weary and heauy laden Matt. 11 18. and I will refresh you Thirdly doth God heare vs when we call Vse 3 and when we aske doth he answer Then it standeth with the right of reason and with the law of equity to heare him when hee calleth vpon vs and cryeth vnto vs. For whensoeuer we pray vnto God we speake vnto him and call vpon him to heare vs. Whensoeuer the
77.20 Hee led his people like sheepe by the hand of Moses and Aaron So long therefore as we haue a voyce so long as we haue an heart to lift vp to God and can poure out the meditations therof before him we haur comfort and assurance to be helped When the poore infant is fallen into danger of fire or water or other misery if he can cry that the father may heare his voyce there is hope of safety and deliuerance So if wee can call vpon God the Father in Iesus Christ in our distresses our heauenly Father will not leaue vs nor forsake vs in our dangers Secondly albeit the faithfull fall into many Reason 2 afflictions and their enemies make long surrowes vpon their backs yet God will not alway suffer them to bee oppressed lest they should sinke deepe and shrinke downe vnder the burthen so turne from their obedience and forsake the faith which they haue professed according to the saying of the Prophet The rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous â—al 125.3 lest the righteous put forth their hand vnto wickednesse He knoweth whereof we are made he spareth vs in our infirmities hee will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength he seeth our weakenesse and how vnable wee are to resist and therefore he will not giue vs ouer to perish in our afflictions inasmuch as our light afflictions which are but for a moment Cor 4.17 cause vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glory so that albeit the righteous fall seuen times yet he riseth againe as the wise man teacheth â—ou 24.16 Vse 1 To apply this vnto our selues wee learne first that the deuises and practises of enemies albeit they be neuer so secret or malicious are vaine and frustrate The people of God shall be preserued howsoeuer they bee euer plotting and banding themselues together as wee see in the dayes of the Apostle â—ct 4.27 Herod Pontius Pilate the Priests and people the Iewes and Gentiles conspired together yet wee shall alwayes haue assurance of safety and all shall worke for the best to them that feare God whose loue no powers no principalities no Potentates shall be able to remooue as the Prophet teacheth Reioice not against me O mine enemy â—c 7.8.10 though I fall I shall rise when I shall sit in darknesse the Lord will be a light vnto me then she that is mine enemie shall locke vpon it and shame shall couer her which said vnto mee Where is the Lord thy God mine eyes shall behold her now shall she be troden downe as the myre of the streets This serueth notably to daunt and dismay the wicked and vngodly who insult ouer the righteous and seeme wise in their owne eyes considering that The faithfull escapeth out of trouble â—rou 11.8 â—sa 8.9 10 and the wicked shall come in his stead This truth the Prophet Esay confesseth and confirmeth Chap. 8. Gather together on heapes O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces take counsell together but it shall be brought to nought pronounce a decree yet it shall not stand for God is with vs. So then if the faithfull be not euer forsaken nor stand continually vnder the strokes of their enemies but God will put to his hand and his helpe to deliuer them we see that all their deuises and all their consultations against them and insultations ouer them shal be brought to nothing Vse 2 Againe it behooueth vs in all the time of our distresse to rely vpon him whatsoeuer tentations come though we should walke by the gates of the graue and passe by the gulfe of death Many indeed are our infirmities feares cares sorrowes and troubles yet in them all we must say with the Prophet â—al 42.5.11 â— 43.5 Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Waite on God for I will yet giue him thanks he is my present helpe and my God Let vs not therefore despaire in the day of trouble When the snares of death compasse vs and the griefes of the graue take hold vpon vs â—al 116.3 4. when we find trouble and sorrow to pursue vs and ouertake vs let vs call vpon the Name of the Lord to deliuer our soule who is mercifull and full of compassion Pro. 18.10 The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth vnto it and is exalted This is the surest and safest refuge of the godly against all troubles Lastly let all such learne as lie not vnder Vse 3 the crosse to commend the common cause of their brethren to God as if themselues were in affliction For wherefore doth God promise to free his from the oppression of the enemy and to restore them to the ioy of their saluation but to moue vs to this duty of praying for them pittying their distressed estate and seeking by all lawfull meanes the comfort and continuance of the Church This the Apostle setteth downe 2 Cor. 1.3 4. Where wee see he vrgeth the Church at Corinth to thinke of this point to be mindfull of the miseries of others and to comfort them that are in discomfort as God hath comforted vs. This is taught by Moses Thou shalt not doe iniury to a stranger Exod. 22.21 neither oppresse him for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt And heereunto the Apostle accordeth Heb. 13.3 Remember them that are in bonds as though ye were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if ye were also afflicted in the body Where he would haue vs so much to bee touched as if their misery were our owne This duty it is needfull to thinke vpon Wee know not what troubles may fall vpon our heads When wee take our selues to bee freest and farthest from all dangers then we may bee neerest vnto them and suddenly fal into them as a bird into the snare of the fowler Wherefore let vs remember them to God that suffer afflictions that so we may be deliuered if wee fall into any troubles But if we harden our hearts in the miseries of others and haue no feeling of their sorrowes others shall bee as vnmindfull of vs and vnmercifull vnto vs as we haue beene to them Matt. 7.2 For with what iudgement we iudge we shall be iudged and with what measure we meat it shall be measured to vs againe Nothing is more greeuous vnto a man then to be scorned in his misery and to be insulted vppon in the day of his calamity The affliction it selfe is bitter and yrkesome to the flesh but the derisions mockings of the enemy serue to double the crosse and to adde to the measure and manner of our misery If then we shall see with our eyes and heare with our eares the lamentable condition of the Church and laugh when the people of God weepe and lament the iustice of God shall ouertake vs and make vs a
they oppressed him with iniuries and banished him their country and yet behold they are constrained immediately to seeke peace of him and to make a couenant with him so that albeit they hated him and put him away from them yet the King his Captaine are glad to come vnto him Gen. 26 24 25 26. For they feared him and saw certainly that the Lord was with him The like submission we see in Pharaoh albeit he hardened his hart and often had contemned and reuiled Moses yet in the greeuousnesse of the iudgement he sendeth for Moses and Aaron and saith I haue now sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked pray ye vnto the Lord for mee that there be no more mighty thunders amd haile Exod. 9 27 and 11 8. Such an example is recorded 1 Kings 13 4 6 touching Ieroboam who albeit he regarded not the word of the Prophet but raged against him and stretched out his hand from the Altar saying Lay hold on him yet when his hand was dryed vp so as he could not pull it in againe vnto him he humbled himselfe greatly in the present feeling of this punishment and besought that Prophet to pray to the Lord his God and make intercession for him that his hand might be restored Thus Saul seeketh to Dauid 1 Sam. 24 21 22. Belteshazzar to Daniel Dan. 5 12 13. Zedekiah to Ieremy Ier. 37 3. The foolish virgins to the wise Mat. 25 8. Haman had conspired the destruction of the Church and thirsted after the bloudy massacre of the Saints of God whose death is precious in his sight yet in the end he saw mischiefe prepared for him he stood vp to make request for his life vnto Queene Ester chap. 3 9 and 7 7. Thus the saying and sentence of the wise man is verified Prou. 14 19. The euill shall bow before the good and the wicked at the gates of the righteous Neither let vs doubt of this truth or greatly maruaile at it For God hath planted imprinted Reason 1 such a maiesty in the person of those that are vnfainedly godly truely religious that the most desperate and despightfull wicked men feare their faces and reuerence their presence If then the vngodly feare them it is no great maruaile though they fal downe before them many times in submissiue manner But the vngodly do often feare them therefore it cannot seeme strange vnto vs if they do some reuerence vnto them This we see in Herod Mark 6.20 He feared Iohn Acts 4 21 and 5 26. knowing that he was a iust man and an holy and reuerenced him and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly So when the people saw how God heard the prayer of Samuel they feared Samuel exceedingly 1 Sam. 12 18. Such is the force of innocency that it conuinceth the enemies in their owne consciences and driueth them to do homage and vaile their bonnet to the seruants of God Againe it is the will of God that all such Reason 2 as humble themselues should be exalted and the lowly in heart should be aduanced so also such as exalt themselues should be brought low and therefore it is no maruaile if GOD euen in this life doe many times for the manifestation of his mercy and iustice lift vp the heads of his owne children Luke 14 11. cast downe the wicked vnder their feet Hence it is that Christ Iesus was so much delighted with this sentēce so often repeated by him in the Gospel Whosoeuer exalteth himselfe shall be brought low but he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Math. 23 12. Luke 18 14. Vse 1 Now let vs make vse of this doctrine First seeing the vnfaithfull be oftentimes constrained to sue to the faithfull for their helpe as the rich glutton did to Abraham let vs all learne to plant true godlinesse in our hearts and to turne to the Lord with all our soules that we may haue our part and portion in this preheminence and let vs walke worthy of our places and of this priuiledge honour and dignity Seeing almighty God maketh vs spirituall Kings to rule and reigne Reuel 1 6. and often subiecteth the wicked vnder vs let vs not be slaues to our owne lusts and corruptions but rule with authority and dominion ouer them and labor to subdue sinne vnto vs. We see the Princes of this world will not dishonour and debase thēselues with base Offices We are Kings and Princes to God in this life let vs then walke worthy of this dignity as the Apostle vrgeth this duty from vs 2 Thess 1 10 11. The Lord shall come to bee glorified in his Saints and to bee made maruailous in all them that beleeue in that day wherefore we also pray for you alwaies that our God may make you worthy for this Calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of faith with power Where we see that after he had set downe the great glory that belongeth to Gods children at the comming of Christ he exhorteth them to walke worthy of their calling seeing it shall be glorious with Christ and the vngodly shall be brought to vtter shame contempt dishonour reproch confusion There is no way to bring any to true honour but to purchase to our selues true godlinesse Therefore the Lord said 1 Sam. 2 30. Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be despised Old age is rightly honourable but it must bee found in the way of righteousnesse Prou. 16 31. This we see to haue beene in Iob chap. 29 7 8. When I went out to the gate euen to the iudgement seate and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete the young men saw me and hid themselues and the aged arose and stood vp the Princes staied their talk laid hand on their mouth Loe thus shall they be honoured that feare the Lord and therfore blessed is the estate condition of the godly Vse 2 Secondly seeing the wicked euen in this life are vrged to seeke mercy at the hands of godly men so that God here vpon earth bringeth downe their heads that before were lifted vp in great pride how much more shall this be verified in the life to come when the redemption of Gods children draweth neere their happinesse shall be perfected then they are appointed to triumph and to haue the victory ouer all their enemies tread the wicked vnder their feet For the true children of of God shall rule and ouer-rule the world and shall trample vpon the kingdome of darknes ouer hell death damnation the diuell the reprobate whatsoeuer setteth it selfe against their peace This the Lord from the beginning taught the Church Gen. 3 15. He shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele The diuell shall tempt Christ assault his members but not ouercome them whereas Christ shall conquer the power of death and make his
of all euill which while some lusted after they erred from the faith and pierced themselues through with many sorrowes Where Paul teacheth That there is no euill which couetousnesse cannot bring foorth It is a monster of many heads and a fruitfull mother of many bad children From hence oftentimes come hatred contention enuy vnthankfulnes treasons treacheries periury poysoning deceit couzenage oppression and what not It bringeth in as a violent streame contempt of God it turneth God into an abhominable Idoll It worketh a wretched trust in earthly possessions treasures more then in the liuing God It is a bottomlesse pit of all iniquity Secondly there is a contrariety betweene Reason 2 God and the world and they draw contrary wayes there is no affinity or agreement betweene them This Christ our Sâ—uiâ—ur setteth downe No man can serue two masters for either he shall hate the one and loue the other or else hee shall leane to the one and despise the other yee cannot serue God and riches Mat. 6 24. Heereunto cometh the exhortation of the Apostle Iohn 1 Iohn 2 15. The vses are now to bee thought and entred Vse 1 vpon First consider from hence the dangerous estate of the men of this world how hard it is for them to enioy eternall life and to enter into the kingdome of heauen See therefore how riches are often reserued to the hurt of the possessors wrack of the owners thereof Many seeking to enriâ—h themselues and to scrape much together for thâ—â— posterities do lose the fauour of GOD the quiet peace of a good conscience and heape to themselues wrath against the day of wrath This the Apostle Iames leadeth vs to consider Chap. 5 1.2 3. Goe too now ye rich men Weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come vpon you your riches are corrupt and your Garments are moth-eaten your gold and siluer is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you and shall eate your flesh as it were fire ye haue heaped vp treasures for the last dayes If therefore outward things pull away from God hinder the duties of godlinesse then assuredly men whose heart is glued vnto them and gouerned by them they being made their chiefe treasures and the god of their hope cannot yeeld to the power of godlinesse but by a speciall and extraordinary worke of God in their hearts True it is they may hold the profession they may receiue baptisme they may partake of the Lords Supper they may heare y word they may hold saluation by Christ alone yet vnlesse they feele a peculiar sanctifying grace of Gods Spirit they shall finde an hard entrance into life and the way leading vnto the kingdome of heauen hedged stopped vp This our Sauiour teacheth his disciples vpon the occasion of the yong mans sorrowfull departure from him hauing great possessions Matth. 19 23 24. Verily I say vnto you That a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdome of heauen It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a Needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God Wherefore it behoueth all rich men that haue this worldes good to pray vnto God beeing compassed with such dangers and clogged with such cares to gouerne them by his Spirit and to preserue theÌ„ that they bee not ouercome with the tentations of the world and to teach them what it is to abound Phil. 4 12. which is farre harder to know and practise then to learne what it is to want Vse 2 Secondly seeing honors and riches choke good things follow not them that walk that way and be not drawne away by the euil examples of others but follow the examples of the godly according to the exhortation of the Apostle Phil. 3 17 18 19. Many walke of whom I haue told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose god is their belly and whose glory is their shame which minde earthly things Hereupon followeth the vse before remembred Brethren be followers of mee and looke on them which walke so as yee haue vs for an ensample How many bee there in the Church that liue of the Gospel and therefore in reason sâ—ould preach the Gospel who corâ—upt their owne consciences and wound their owne soules by hunting after promotion and â—ignity who for money sell their master with Iudas and are carried away afâ—er the wages of iniquity with Balaam and gape after gaine onely like hyrelings who ioyne Liuing to liuing as it were house to house and fielde to field eating the fat and cloathing themselues with the wooll But they strengthen not the weake they heale not the sicke they binde not vppe the broken they seeke not that which is lost they raise not such as are fallen Woe be vnto such ydle sheepheards that feede themselues Should not the sheepheards feede the flockes Ezek. 34 2 3 4. Let not vs walke after such examples which in the iust iudgement of God are reserued to death shame who albeit they regard their pleasures aboue all yet as they walke inordinately so the things they reioyce in shall bee their confusion but let vs propound to our selues the examples of the godly for our instruction and imitation in wel-doing Heb. 6 12. That we be not slothfull but followers of them which through faith and patience inherit the promises Lastly let vs not be immoderately carefull Vse for them The more carefull wee are for these things the more carelesse wee are in better things The more our affections are set on the earth the lesse care we haue of heauen immortality It is no profit to winne the whole world with the losse of our owne soules It is an incomparable losse greater then the losse of a kingdome Iob had a great losse when he lost his Sheepe and Asses his Oxen and Camels his Seruants and his Children Iob 1 14.15 But all this is scarse to bee mentioned or spoken of beeing compared and layde in the ballance with the losse of the soule Let vs therefore be contented and rest satisfied with the estate wherein God hath set vs. A little with a good conscience and with peace is better then a stalled Oxe Prou. 15 17. Godlynesse is great gaine with contentation 1 Tim. 6 6. Let vs vse this world as though we vsed it not 1. Cor. 7 31. All is vanity nay misery if we depart not hence in the feare and fauour of God Let vs so liue that in life and death wee may be the Lords Affect not onely or chiefly the things of this life but let vs haue before vs the example of Lots wife made vnto vs as a fearefull spectacle and terrible monument of carnall and carefull thoughts whose hart was wholly set vpon those things which shee left behinde and therefore was turned into a pillar of salt We are borne againe vnto a better life If a Princes children should giue
lips The like we see in the siedge of Samaria when the Lord promised that to morrow that time should bee great plenty of Barley and fine flower to bee solde a Prince answered and saide 2 Kinges 7 2. Though the Lord would make windowes in the heauen could this thing come to passe This appeareth in Zachary Luke 1 18. when God promised him a sonne in his old age he saide How can this thing be And whereby shal I know this When the Israelites were pursued ouertaken by the hoast of the Egyptians and were in present danger of death they wer soâ—e afraid and forgate the power of God able to deliuer them So the experience of our owne hearts in all dangers and difficulties that ordinarily fall vpon vs 〈…〉 doth tell vs how hard it is to rest vpon God as an all-sufficient helper in time of neede We distrust Gods promises and feare in euery euill that he wil not or cannot succour vs. Forasmuch therefore as we are priuy to our owne corruptions being readie to thinke our helpe and deliuerance to be vnpossible let vs in all troubles build on Gods power as on a firme rocke and sure foundation that can neuer be remoued Secondly hereby we haue a great comfort in our troubles and sufferings to consider the strong hand of God preuayling ouer them that do insult and triumph ouer the Church The yeeres and dayes the very houres moments of time touching the Churches afflictions are determined of God so that the vngodly shall rage but their time This is it which God speaketh to Abraham Gene. 15 13. That his seede should bee a stranger in a Land that is not theirs foure hundred yeeres and shall serue them Thus when the people of Israel were carried into Babylon The daies of their captiuity are determined to be seuenty yeares Ier. 25 11 12 29 10. When Pilate the Lieutenant of the Romanes and Iudge of Iudea had sayde vnto Christ Iohn 19 10 11. Knowst thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and haue power to loose thee Iesus answered Thou couldest haue no power at all against me except it were giuen thee from aboue Let vs therefore goe constantly forward in our vocation to do our duties to speake freely in the middest of the enemies though they do heare vs sit among vs. This we see to haue bene the behauiour of Christ Iohn 8 20 21. These things spake Iesus in the treasury as he taught in the Temple and no man laide hands on him for his houre was not yet come Where we see the place the persons the time seemed to fauour his enemies yet hee taught boldly and preached openly amongst them This example must bee our imitation Though we liue among many dangers are inclosed with a thousand deaths yet we must know that we are protected regarded defended of God we are by his right hand made able to stand when so many deuices of the vngodly assault vs and so many hornes of the wicked push at vs to ouerthrow vs. It is an admirable and maruellous thing considering the enemies of the Church and Gospell both open and secret professed and close knowne aduersaries and close brethren all mischeeuous hauing also such men and meanes to worke their malice that any Church continueth in the world being as a little flock among many wolues Wherfore if there be any light of the Spirit of God in vs the consideration of this that their rage is determined must giue courage and constancy both to vs that be teachers and to you that be hearers and worke in vs all assurance of helpe and assistance to come from the highest heauens Thirdly this doctrine is a great terrour to Vse the wicked persecutors and malicious enemies to consider their estate and to remember their condition that they cannot do what they list but what God will they cannot execute whâ—â— they please but what pleaseth God This limitation of their rage abridgement of their doings is sufficient to dane their hearts and to pull them backe from fighting against God If they could prolong their daies and double their strength as they can increase their malice and double their deuices they might haue some cause to insult and triumph ouer the faithfull But seeing they are stinted as the hireling that hath his taske shared out vnto him it serueth notably to abate theyr pride to asswage their malice to confound their deuices and enterprizes against the seruants of God They are not their owne men they are not free and at their owne libertie God holdeth them in and tyeth them short that they cannot rage and reigne at their own pleasure Herod and Pontius Pilate the Gentiles and the Iewes 〈…〉 could doe no more then God had determined Let all the vngodly remember this doctrine and consider it in their hearts it will be a notable bridle to restraine them from all euill practises and to stoppe the course of their corrupt purposes They cannot preuaile ouer the Saints of God albeit for a time they haue the vpper hand The time shal come when they must giue an account of all their workes Lastly seeing the times of the enemies Vse 4 preuailing bee set let vs not feare the faces of men they can but run the race that God hath set them albeit they rush forward like blinde men and thinke themselues able to do great things yet their power is subiect to an higher power and their malice shall quickly haue an endâ— If a Prince should encourage any of his poore subiects against the might and oppression of any of his Nobles and sayâ— vnto him Feare not his feare I will be thy defence and protection I will stand betweene thee danger he shall do thee no harme would not this make him ioyfull and banish all feare from him of being ouer-borne and ouer-matched by his might But this is our case and condition lying vnder the crosse afflicted of enemies and persecuted for our profession the Lord hath promised to beare vs out and to bee a buckler round about vs. If then the Lord be our light and our saluation whom shall we feare If the Lord be the strength of our life of whom shall we be afraid Psal 27 1. Therefore Christ Iesus comforting and imboldning his disciples against dangers to come Matth. 10 25 26 28 31. forewarning them that they should be deliuered vp to the Councels bee scourged in the Synagogues be brought before Gouernors and bee hated of all men for his names sake exhorteth them to patience courage I care them not for there is nothing couered that shall not be disclosed nor hid that shall not be knowne Feare ye not them that kill the body are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell We are safe vnder Gods shield they cannot cut off one houre of our life they cannot shorten one moment of our
for vs when we sleep he heareth when we are deafe he riseth vp for vs when we lie downe hee is a buckler about vs when we are assaulted he is the God of knowledge when wee are ignorant And if euer there were people vnder the heauen that hath experience of Gods watchfulnesse in this kinde it is this Nation of great Britaine O vnthankfulnes if we doe not acknowledge it O wretchednesse if we doe not euer remember it O wickednes if we do not teach it to our posterities For hath not God deliuered vs from the most cursed and execrable plot of desperate enemies that euer was contriued against the King the Queene the Prince and the rest of their progeny against the Lords the Commons the whole Church kingdome â—hen the fift 〈◊〉 Noâ—â—â— An. 〈◊〉 5. determining suddainly to haue blowne vp the whole house of Parliament with gun-powder Now as this was an inuention bloody an intention barbarous and inhumane See Act. 〈…〉 3. so by what meanes were wee deliuered was it by our fasting and prayer was it by humbling our selues before our God and crying strongly in the eares of the Lord of hostes was it by our teares and weeping for our sins saying spare thy people O Lord and giue not thine inheritance into reproch that the Priests and Iesuites should rule ouer them Nay we vsed none of all these we suspected no danger we feared no enemies we dreamed of no diuelish deuices against the land so that to detect and disclose the fore-named cursed conspiracy was the Lords doing onely and it is marueilous in our eyes When an inuasion in the yeere 88. was intended by the supposed inuincible Armado glorying in their strength munition shippes preparations confederates it was indeed the Lords mercy toward vs to crosse and curse their attempt and to raise the windes and seas against them howbeit this was not without vsing of meanes as rigging of shippes arming of men mustering of souldiers yea it was not without sanctifying of fasts calling solemne assemblies and crying vnto the Lord. If then wee did sing songs of thanksgiuing for that deliuerance how should our hearts be kindled and inflamed with ioyfulnesse and with what praises should wee expresse our thankfulnes 〈…〉 but euen vow vnto the Lord our selues our soules and bodies to offer them vp a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto him For as many haue bene the practices of the malicious and bloody Papists yet this surmounteth them all so many haue bene the deliuerances of our Princes of our Rulers of our Magistrates of our Ministers of our people but this surmounteth and surpasseth them all Psal 95 1 2. Let vs therefore reioyce vnto the Lord let vs sing aloud to the rock of our saluation let vs come before his face with praise let vs sing loud vnto him with Psalmes for the Lord is a great God and a great King aboue all gods He sitteth in heauen and laugheth to scorne the deuices of the wicked He ruleth in earth and maketh all his enemies his footstoole Verse 28. Then the Lord opened the mouth of the Asse When Balaam had smitten his Asse three times that had saued his life it pleased God to worke a wonder to alter the course of nature to giue speech to the Asse to make her able to reproue her master God indeed could otherwise haue set his sin in order before him but a dumbe beast is teacher fit enough for the fals Prophet We see hereby Doctrine God oftentimes worketh aboue nature that God so often as it pleaseth him worketh aboue nature ordinary meanes Hereunto come al the miracles which God hath shewed from the beginning of the world He gaue vnto Abraham Sarah a son in their old age who quickneth the dead Rom. 4 17. and calleth those things which be not as though they were He stayed the course of the Sun diuided the red sea fed his people with Manna Heb. 11 33 34. stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of fire opened the earth to swallow his enemies brought water out of the hard rocke Hee sent signes and wonders in the land of Egypt vnto this day in Israel and among al men hath made him a name as appeareth this day Hee brought his people out of the hand of Pharaoh with signes with wonders with a strong hand with a stretched out arme and with a great terrour He gaue power to a virgin to conceiue beare a son that he might saue his people from their sins Ier 32.20 Math 1 21 23. The reasons remaine to be considered and Reason 1 handled to confirme vs farther First marke the nature of God he is great in counsell glorious in holines fearefull in praises mighty in his workes and in his enterprises Who made the heauen who framed the earth and laide the foundation thereof vpon the depth who brought light out of darknesse Is it not the Lord that doth whatsoeuer he will in heauen in earth in the depth and in all the world This the Prophet Ieremy teacheth chap. 32. Ah Lord God behold thou hast made the heauen and the earth by thy great power Ier. 32.17 by thy stretched out arme and there is nothing hard vnto thee he maketh the barren fruitfull Psal 136.5 â— he brought all things out of nothing who onely doth great wonders for his mercy endureth for euer who by his wisedome made the heauens and hath stretched out the earth vpon the waters for his mercy endureth for euer Againe therby he maketh his name known Reason 2 and his power to bee acknowledged in the world This is declared by Nehemiah in the prayer of the Leuites chap. 9. Thou hast considered the afflictioÌ„ of our fathers in Egypt heard their cry by the red Sea and shewed tokens and wonders vpon Pharaoh and on all his seruants and on all the people of the land for thou knowest that they dealt proudly against them Neh. 9 9 10. therefore thou madest thee a Name as appeareth this day Wherefore to the end the power and presence of God may bee knowne both to the Church and the enemies of the Church hee breaketh and interrupteth the naturall order and course of things Heereupon it is that Ioshua calleth the children of Israel and telleth them that by the miracle of diuiding the waters of Iordan Iosh 3 10. they should know that the liuing GOD was among them and would cast out the Canaanites before them Vse 1 The vse of this doctrine may bee made in this manner First it serueth fitly to condemne all Atheists and earth-wormes that aduance nature to throw downe the power of God Indeed if GOD onely wrought by ordinary meanes and according to the strength of second causes some pretence might bee alleaged and some colour of reason produced to doubt of the diuine power But seeing GOD worketh not onely by nature and by meanes but sometimes aboue
nature and without all meanes and sometimes against all meanes the euidence of this truth is cleared the power of GOD is manifested and the mouthes of all Infidels and of iniquity it selfe is stopped Our faith must goe beyond reason if wee will professe our selues schollers in the schoole of Christ In the schooles of the Philosophers reason goeth before assent but in the schoole of GOD first we haue vse of faith and after followeth discourse of reason Let vs therefore learne to magnifie the Scriptures and by the authority of them tread and trample vpon all Atheisme and Prophanenesse As many miracles as wee finde expressed and wrought by the finger of God so many testimonies and euidences wee haue against these patrones of Nature who being wholly carnal corrupt know nothing that is spirituall These deny the resurrection of the body and the immortality of the soule that so they might escape the sentence of the eternall ludge by whom they shall bee iudged in the last day and shall know to their confusion that there is a GOD whose power is infinite Exod. 34 7. who will not make the wicked innocent but visit the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children and vpon childrens children to the third and fourth generation and reward euery one according to his workes Hee is able to bee reuenged on all his enemies who shal sooner pul their hearts out of their brests then God out of their mindes This Moses setteth downe Deut. â—2 Deut. 32 39 42. Beholde now for I I am he and there is no gods with me I kill and giue life I wound and I make whole neither is there any that can deliuer out of mine hand If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold on iudgement I will execute vengeance on mine enemies and will reward them that hate mee I will make mine arrowes drunke with blood and my sword shall eate flesh for the blood of the slaine and of the captiues when I begin to take vengeance of the enemy This is Gods arrow against all Atheists this is a fearefull thunder-bolt throwne down vpon their heads which shall crush them in pieces testifie their destruction which shall come vpon them when there is none to helpe Let such therfore betimes acknowledge a God of Nature that he may bee to them a GOD of grace let them confesse him to worke when he will by extraordinary meanes that he may direct them in the ordinary pathes that leade to saluation and eternall life let them reuerence him as the ruler of the world that hee may rule in their hearts by his Word and Spirit and Sacraments whereby he applieth to vs his heauenly gifts Secondly let vs learne by this miraculous Vse 2 manner of working to trust in him when all meanes faile vs and tye not him to the ordinary course of second causes that is able to make the Sunne and Moone to stand still as in the pursuit of Ioshua Iosh 10 1â— 2 King 2â— and to bring the Sun backe againe many degrees in the Diall of Ahaz as in the comforting of Hezekiah and to turne the Sunne into darkenes Math. 27 as we see in the time of the passion of Christ He is able to doe whatsoeuer hee will and more then hee will doe It is an easie matter for euery man to say he trusteth in God and boast of his faith when no meanes faile him when hee hath abundance and store of all things when hee is fed to the full with his hid Treasure that they leaue the rest of their substance for their children Iob. 29 6â— when God compasseth them about with his mercies That they wash their pathes in Butter and haue the Rockes to powre them out Riuers of Oyle as Iob speaketh it is quickly said and spoken that we will relye vpon God and acknowledge his prouidence But if GOD blow vpon our meanes they shall doe vs no good hee can take vs from them as hee dealt with the vnfaithfull rich man Luke 12 2 Iob. 1 â— or hee can take them from vs as hee dealt with his faithfull seruant Iob Wee must therefore depend vpon him in time of war as wel as of peace in want as wel as in time of wealth in sicknesse as in health when he shall make the heauen as iron and the earth as brasse when hee shall take away the staffe of bread when hee shall cause thee to walke through the valley of the shadow of death thou must then cal on him for thy daily bread and say with Iob Loe though he slay me Iob 13 15 Prou. 16.3 1. Pet. 5 7 yet will I trust in him Commit thy wayes and workes vnto the Lord and thy thoughts shall bee directed Cast all your care on him for hee careth for you Such wee are indeed as wee are in aduersity Such is our faith as it is found in the day of temptation Wherefore let vs lift vp our eyes to him that sitteth in the heauens and swayeth all things by his prouidence and say with the Prophet Psal 28. The Lord is my strength Psal 28 7 â— 37 39 40. and my shield mine heart trusted in him and I was helped therefore mine heart shall reioyce and with my Song will I praise him The Saluation of the righteous men shall be of the Lord he shall be their strength in the time of trouble For the Lord shall helpe them and deliuer them he shall deliuer them from the wicked and shall saue them because they trust in him Thirdly let vs not doubt of the promises Vse 3 or prouidence of G G D who is able to make good the words of his own mouth how incredible or vnpossible soeuer they seeme in our eies Therfore the faith of Abraham the Father of the faithfull is commended by the Apostle that aboue hope he beleeued vnder hope that he should be the Father of many Nations 〈◊〉 4 18 19. and he not weake in faith considered not his own body which was now dead neither the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe neither did he doubt of God thorough vnbeliefe but was strengthened in the Faith and gaue glory to God being fully assured that he which had promised was able to doe it This is a great comfort if at any time wee see the miseries and ruines of the Church if wee beholde the desolation hauocke that is made of it that God is able to restore the flourishing estate thereof again God can work aboue meanes without so that albeit we can see with an eye of flesh no way to worke the safety of the Church let vs not despaire or cast away our confidence and hope which hath great recompence of reward We reade how God saued Israell when there appeared no meanes of deliuerance in the eyes of men the rockes and mountaines hemmed them in on both sides the red Sea was before them 〈◊〉 14 13 â—4 the hoste of the Egyptians marched
behinde them no way was left them to escape the dangers in mans iudgement But as the Church in this world is euer subiect to affliction and to lye vnder the crosse so God doth not incontinently deliuer it out of danger but many times continueth their troubles and augmenteth their calamities to exercise their faith to try their patience and to proue their obedience notwithstanding in the end God maketh an happy issue and sheweth that the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against the Church Therefore when the Israelites began to murmure and not so much against Moses as against God and looked more to the danger of death before them then to the power of GOD aboue them and considered more what they did want then what they should beleeue Moses said vnto them Feare yee not stand still and behold the saluation of the Lord which he will shew to thee this day for the Egyptians whom yee haue seene this day yee shall neuer see them againe the Lord shall fight for you 〈◊〉 1. therefore hold you your peace When there was a great persecution raised against the Church at Ierusalem so that the sheepe of Christ were scattered abroad and nothing but threatnings and slaughter breathed out against the Disciples of the Lord 〈◊〉 2 3. Authority being giuen by the High-Priest to imprison all such as called on his Name rather then the Church should bee rooted out the Lord Iesus appeared in the Heauens to Paul as hee was in the way being now come neere to Damascus called him to the knowledge of the truth and appointed him to be a teacher of the Gospel that before hee destroyed 1. Sam. 10 11 so that wee may renew the ancient Prouerbe Is Saul also among the Prophets So when wee see the dangerous times and perillous seasons of the Church let vs not hang downe our heads but rather lift vp our hearts and cry vnto God saying Helpe Lord in the time of neede forsake not thine inheritance which thou hast purchased nor the Vine-yard which thy right hand hath planted And let vs assure our selues that when the cause thereof seemeth most desperate and helpe appeareth to vs to be farthest off 2. Cor. 12 9. then is his mercy greatest and his presence neerest then is his power made perfect through our weakenesse This is that which the Prophet Zachary witnesseth chap. 8. speaking of the returne of the people from captiuity vnto Ierusalem and of the louing kindnesse of GOD to bee extended toward them For albeit the residue that were left were reproached the Citty ruinated the gates burned and the wall broken downe yet hee prophesieth Zach. 8 4 5 â— That old Men and old Women shall dwell in the streetes of Ierusalem and the streetes of the City shall be full of Boyes and Girles playing in the streetes thereof For thus saith the Lord of hostes Though it seeme vnpossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these dayes should it therefore be vnpossible in my sight saith the Lord of hostes Vse 4 Lastly as this Doctrine teacheth vs to beleeue the promises of God so it teacheth vs not to doubt or despair of the saluatioÌ„ conuersion of our brethren for God is able to cal and conuert them to the sauing knowledge of the Gospel This the Apostle vrgeth intreating of the calling of the Iewes Rom. 11 23. to embrace the faith of the Gentiles And they also if they abide not still in vnbeleefe shall be grafted in for God is able to graft them in againe Likewise when the Disciples saw and heard the difficulty of entring into heauen for those that trust in their riches that they haue need of a singular gift of God to escape out of the snares subtilties of Satan Math. 19 26 Christ Iesus beheld them and said vnto them With men this is vnpossible but with God all things are possible Math. 20 1. He calleth at all houres of the day at the dawning of the day at the third houre at the sixt at the ninth and at the eleuenth houre For as he is bound to no person so he is bound to no time he calleth whom he will he teacheth and toucheth the heart when he will This we see in the example of the Apostle Paul which wee spake of before he was at the first a blasphemer 1 Tim. 1 13 a persecutor and an oppressor yet he was receiued of God to mercy to the encouragement of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall life Marke 16 9 So was Mary Magdalen a greeuous sinner an vncleane liuer Luke 7 47. out of whom he had cast seuen diuels yet many sinnes were forgiuen her inasmuch as she loued much was the first to whom the Lord appeared after his resurrection Wherefore albeit we sâ—e men run on in their wickednesse and shut theyr eares against the wholesome admonitions of the word of God albeit their whole life be a continuall practise of sinne and that they drinke in iniquity as the fish doth the water yet wee must iudge nothing before the time 1. Cor. 4 5. vntill the Lord come who will lighten things that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the hearts manifest and then shall euery man haue praise of God God is not tyed to ordinary causes but as hee fed the people with Quailes in the wildernes so he can inwardly instruct the conscience he can make the least meanes powerfull and effectuall to saluation Math. 19 30. so that as many which are first shall bee last so sometimes the last shal be first He called Iohn the Baptist as it were in the dawning of the day whom he sanctified from his mothers wombe Luke 1 15. He called Timothie and Titus some others as it were at the third houre of the day 2 Tim. 3 15 and 1 5. Who were brought vp in the knowledge of the Scriptures of children which are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through the faith which is in Christ Iesus and honoured the Lord with the first fruits of their life Hee called Paul to be an Apostle Mary Magdalene to be a beleeuer as it were at the sixt houre who after their conuersion redeemed the time and though they were inferiour to other in respect of time yet they were equall vnto them or before them in regard of zeale other graces of Gods Spirit He called the theefe vpon the crosse as it were at the eleuenth houre to bee partaker of his kingdome Luke 23.42 43. to whom Christ said This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Let vs not therefore enter into iudgment against our brethren let vs commit them to God Acts 1 7. Seeing it is not for vs to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power Let vs pray for their conuersion to God that hee would giue them repentance to know him
exquisite and excellent thing in them but the inward and spirituall worship is neglected among them the Name of God is dishonoured the Sabbath is prophaned the Scriptures are abused the doctrine of faith and repentance is buried many open sinnes are maintained amoâ—g theÌ„ If that bee the true relâ—gion which giueth all glory to God the Popish religion cannot bee so whâ—ch giueth all glory to themselues and robbeth God of the honour due to his Name by their doctrine of merits by their works of supererogation which indeed is more then supererogation If it be the true religion that magnifyeth the Scriptures resteth in the perfection of them submitteth all persons causes vnto them and acknowledgeth them the sole and supreme Iudge of all Questions and Controuersies of religion then that must bee a false religio which patcheth other writings and traditions vnto them which in matters of â—octrine flyeth from them which preferreth the authority of the Church before them and â—enveth to be wholly ordered by them If that â—e the true religion which aduanceth the sufferings of Christ and resteth in his perfect Oblation once performed vpon the Crosse Heb. 10 1â— which acknowledgeth Christ to be the onely Sauiour and Redeemer of his people and â—eacheth to relye vpon him alone for our iustification then that must bee confessed to bee a counterfet religion which setteth vppe a mocke Christ and honoureth instead of him the cursed Idoll of the Masse whereby the remembrance of his death is shamefully eâ—uded and the people of God are miserably deluded Learne therefore that all zeale is not true zeale and to hate all euill albeit it haue the appearance of good and come masked vnder the vizard and habite of holinesse For counterfeit piety is double impiety Secondly let vs not bee carried away and Vse 2 seduced with euery vaine blast of false Doctrine but stand constant setled and vnmoueable as they that are builded not on the weak sand but vpon the firme Rocke that cannot bâ— remoued This the Apostle teacheth Heb. 1 9. Bee not carried about wiâ—h diuers and strange doctrines for it is a good thing that the heart bee stablished with grace and not with meates which haue not profited them that haue beene occupied in them This vse is vrged by the Apostle Paul 2. Tim. 3 5. This know that in the last daies shall come perillous seasons for men shall bee louers of their owne selues c hauing a shew of godlinâ—sse but haue denied the power therof turne â—way therfore from such We see how easily the greaâ—est part are carried away with shadowes without substance and shewes without inward truâ—h They haue itching eares after new Teâ—chers and forsake the ancient Teachers that haue fed them with the milke of the word gained them to the faiâ—h of Christ Wherefore it standeth vs vpon to take heeâ— wee be not seduced and deceiued with â—aâ—e Pâ—ophets and to make a tryall of their doctrine by the truth of the Scriptures according to the counsell of Christ our Sauiour Math. chapter 7 verses 15. 16. Lastly it is our dutieâ— to learne to discerne Vse 3 the spirits and to be able to iudge of the Doctrine whether it be of God or not Christ commandeth his Disciples to beware take heed of the leauen of the Pharisies and Saduces Math 1 and 2 â— that is of their doctrine but in another place he chargeth them to heare the Pharisies obey their doctrine sitâ—ing in Moses chaire because they were appointed for the time to be the Teachers of the Church Now then if they must heare and do what they say and yet auoide their mixtures corruptions of sound dâ—ctrine it is required necessarily of the people to discerne betweene the Law of GOD and the leauen of the Pharisies being charged to cleaue to the truth and to forsake error This is that vse which thâ— Apostle Iohn vrgeth 1 Iohn chap. 4. verse 1. Deâ—rely beloued beleeue not euery spirit but try thâ— spirits whether they bee of GOD For many false Prophets are gone out into this world And in the second Epistle chap. 7 8. hee speaketh to the same purpose Many deceiuers are entred into this world which confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh looke to your selues that wee lose not the things which we haue done but that we may receiue a full reward Hereunto likewise cometh the exhortation of Eliah to all the people that were seduced by false Prophets 1 Kings 18 21. How long halt yee betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal bee hee then go after him And the Apostle Paul chargeth the Thessalonians to try all things and to hold fast that which is good 1 Thess 5 21. This condemneth the Church of Rome of sacriledge that take from the people the key of knowledge and nuzzle them in ignorance as the mother of deuotion accounting it sufficient that they beleeue as the Church beleeueth and credite in all things theyr Pastours and Teachers and forbid them all tryall of the doctrine deliuered vnto them But the Scriptures require of them the spirit of discerning 〈◊〉 12 2. â—il 1 10. â—ph 5.15 17. and all iudgement that they may allow those things that are best and that they may bee without offence vntill the day of Christ to take heed that they walke circumspectly and wisely that they may vnderstand what the will of the Lord is and beware that they be not seduced And it is no excuse to the people beeing misled and misguided to say Thus haue I bene taught and instructed For when the blinde leade the blinde they both fall into the pit of destruction Mat. 15 14. So that if they embrace not faith vnto saluation but withdraw themselues vnto perdition they that follow false Teachers are sure to perish as well as they that leade them the way or rather out of the way and if the Watchman see the sword drawne 〈◊〉 33 8. and iudgement comming and blow not the Trumpet albeit the blood of the people shall bee required at his hands yet they shall also be taken away in their sins Verse 5. The Lord put an answer in Balaams mouth Heere is set downe the Author of his Prophesies He sought a cursing but God put in his mouth a blessing so that the spirit of Prophesie is sometimes giuen to wicked men as appeareth in Saul sundry others Wherefore it is said God put his word in his mouth not in his heart He hath God plentifully in his mouth but his heart was farre from him so that he speaketh not farre otherwise then his Asse spake before because God compelled him against his will to vtter that which he put in his mouth â—â—rine 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 â—â—â—eâ— to â—â—uiâ— oâ—â—e 〈◊〉 Heereby we learne that Gods truth is oftentimes enforced and drawne out of those that know it not nor beleeue it Prophane men of an euill spirit are constrained
and wee in comparison of him as dust and ashes as vile and base vassals This is the reason vsed vrged by the Wiseman Eccl. 5 1. So the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 5.20 We are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that yee be reconciled to God Our Sauior sending out his seuenty disciples and giuing them in charge how to behaue themselues saith Luke 10 16. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and hee that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Thus doth the Apostle giue testimony to the faith and obedience of the Thessalonians that when they receiued of him the preaching of God 1. Thess 2 13. They receiued it not as the word of man but as it is indeede the Word of God which worketh in them that beleeue So then to be cold and carelesse herein is a plaine disgrace and meere mockery of God worse then mocking and misusing of father and mother He that hath to doe and to deale with an earthly Prince will bee circumspect in his behauiour how much more ought wee to behaue our selues with all reuerence in hearing the Word hauing then in speciall manner to deale with God who is the author of it and the worker by it Reason 2 Secondly wee shall be iudged by it at the last day being the rule of our faith and of all our actions It is a letter written from God published by his Sonne sealed by his Spirit witnessed by his Angels conueyed vnto vs by by the Church which is the pillar ground of truth This is that which our Sauiour Christ teacheth Iohn 12 47 48. Seeing then 1 Tim. 3 15. it shall be the Iudge by which wee must be tried and the word whereby our soules shall be saued it worthily claimeth and challengeth at our hands the greatest attention to be yeelded vnto it Thirdly negligent and contemptuous hearers shal be grieuously and seuerely punished Reason 3 according to the nature and quality of their sinne The Prophet Ieremy hath a generall rule holding in all things warranted and done by Gods appointment and confirmeth this by a strong reason when he saith Ier. 48 10. Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligētly This is more particularly touched and taught by the Apostle to the Hebrewes chap. 2 2 3. If the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and euery transgression and disobedience receiued a iust recompence of reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation which at the first beganne to be preached by the Lord and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him To this purpose Christ himselfe denounced and deliuered the greatest threatning of most grieuous iudgments to fall vpon all negligent hearers Math. 10 14 and 11 21 24. Willing his Apostles to shake off the dust from their feet as a witnesse against thew telling them that it shall be easier in the day of account for Tyre Sidon for Sodome Gomorrah then for them So then whether wee consider the person of God that speaketh or the power of the word that iudgeth or the punishment of death that falleth vpon carelesse contemners wee see that wee are all bound to come to the exercises of Religion with all reuerence and attention Let vs now gather some vses that follow Vse 1 from this doctrine First we learne from hence that euery one which commeth to heare the word of the Lord must be perswaded that though it be a poore weake sinfull man subiect to the same passions that we are which is the minister and messenger to deliuer whatsoeuer we heare yet notwithstanding we stand and appeare before the great God of heauen and most mighty Iudge of the world to bee informed and reformed of him and to receiue his word which is able to saue our soules Cornelius the captaine comming with his kinsfolke family friends and whole retinue made this vse which now we vrge saying Acts 10.33 We are all heere present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God Hee doth not say we stand heere before thee but we are all present before God nor to heare onely the Apostle but all things that are commanded thee of God to deliuer vnto vs. Thus Paul commendeth the Galathians Gal. 4 14. that they receiued him as an Angell of GOD yea as Christ Iesus It is the high ordinance of God to put his heauenly treasure in earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4 7. That the excellency of that power might be of God and not of vs. Would it not argue an intollerable daintinesse and nicenesse of a wanton stomacke to refuse good wholesome meate because it is brought in platters of pewter or dishes of wood not in vessels of siluer or gold So is it an euident argument of loathing the heauenly Manna when we haue the precious word of God in respect of persons and heare it not for the words sake but according as we fancie and affect the teacher verifying the saying of Salomon Prou. 27.7 The person that is full despiseth an hony combe but vnto the hungry soule euery bitter thing is sweet This serueth to reproue those which come to the hearing of the word as to an ordinary matter and neuer haue any thoght or meditation of Gods presence to keep them in aw but come to heare some newes or some new man vse the practice of the Iewes condemned by the Prophet Ezechiel chap. 33.31.32 They come vnto thee as the people vseth to come my people sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouths they make iests c. Vse 2 Secondly this serueth to condemne all abuses vnseemly gestures and vnreuerent behauiour when we come into the house of God True it is the diuell if hee can preuaile will keepe vs from hearing the word and suggest vnto vs matter of profit or pleasure to stop stay vs from resorting vnto the place of Gods worship but if hee cannot so farre obtaine his purpose he will goe with vs and accompany vs thither When we are neerest to that which should doe vs good and further our saluation Math. 13 19 he is ready at our elbow to hinder the word and to worke our destruction Hence it is that many are present in body that are absent in minde forgetting that they haue to do with God and with the meanes of their sanctification They haue their hearts wandring about worldly matters they finde no ioy they feele no delight they taste no sweetnesse they perceiue no comfort nor gladnesse wrought in them in these exercises of their faith but they are rather a burden vnto them and take them as a weight and wearinesse lying heauy vpon them Many come for custome of the time for fashion of others and for feare of punishment whereas if they might be left free to themselues and to the liberty of their owne will
them stedfastly in the faith We shall be fitted to beare out this triall if we be carefull to vnderstand the acceptable will of God and if we be able to weild the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Our Sauiour teacheth his Disciples to beware of false Teachers which come in sheepes cloathing but inwardly are rauening Wolues Mat. 7 15. This is the vse which the Apostle Iude maketh chap. 4 where making mention that seducers were entered secretly and subtilly among them hee mooued them to striue and contend for the common faith taught by his ministry If we wold know how this shold be let vs haue our faith stablisht in the grace of God and our hearts setled in the truth Faith is a precious Iewell the Iewell of Iewels it must then be kept well and warily If a man haue a pearle of great price committed vnto him he will not let it lye about commonly and carelesly for euery one to pilfer purloyne but keepe it vnder lock key that it may be preserued safe and sure True Religion builded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles is such a Pearle it must be kept with watch and ward or else it will bee stolne and taken from vs. It is such a Iewel as when a man hath found it he will sell all that he hath to keepe and retaine it The people beganne to commit whoredome with the daughters of Moab We haue heard before the author of that stumbling-blocke which was laid before the feet of the people of God to cause them to fall to wit Balaam from him the counsell came by him the net was made and by Balak it was spred to intrappe them Now we see what they committed wherein they offended So soone as the plot is deuised and the counsell followed by and by the Israelites are taken in the snare They banquet with the Moabites in the idoll feasts so fall into fornication These are tentations on the right hand delights to the flesh and enticements to pleasures Doctrinâ— Tentatioâ— by pleasuâ—â— are most â—â—gerous The Doctrine arising from hence is this That tentations from pleasures delights are of all other most dangerous more effectuall to preuaile ouer vs then such tentations as stand on the left hand to witte crosses aduersities Indeed we are assailed on euery side on the left hand by pouerty shame contempt persecutions and such like which cause many to hang down their heads to cast away their confidence to renounce their faith to depart out of the field without striking a stroke but such as present themselues at our right haÌ„d as riches power honor glory preferment profit pleasure which dazle the eyes and entangle the hart with the delights therof these are most cunning Engines and instruments vsed or rather abused by Sathan to our destruction This was the last tentation as most auaileable in it selfe that the diuel vsed against our Sauiour Christ Mat. 4 8. shewing and offering vnto him the kingdomes of the world the glory thereof Faire promises of high preferment preuailed with Eue to eate of the forbidden fruite Genesis He gaue Dauid the foile by vncleannesse and Noah by drunkennesse Salomon by idolatry and Hezekiah by prosperity when he could not shake them by crosses and persecutions Gold and siluer haue opened the gates of the Citty when the force of the Cannon shot could not This is that which the Prophet Dauid meaneth when he saith I saide in my prosperity I shall not be remoued Psal 30 6. The Church of God was neuer so ouertaken with aduersity as with abundance and prosperity more are brought to condemnation by riches pleasures and worldly lusts then by pouerty and persecution Reason 1 The Reasons to inforce this doctrine are diuers First prosperity puffeth vp not onely the wicked but also the godly and stealeth away the heart of man before he feele the danger and can thinke vpon that which will follow Pleasures make vs forget God and our selues both seducing worldlings and such as remember not God all their life long and ouertaking the faithfull which haue walked in the feare of God when they haue al things at will so as they haue not knowne themselues any more When Salomon was old his wiues by flattery turned away his heart 1 Kings 11 4. So did Dalilah the heart of Sampson iudg 14. 15 who was made so weak impotent by the look of a woman that he yeelded himselfe to her lure or lust most reproachfully brought himselfe into extreme bondage and slauery through her enticements Reason 2 Secondly carnall pleasures and riches are deceitfull they appeare otherwise then they are They are like to a baite that couereth a deadly hooke they are like the greene grasse in which lurketh and lyeth a Serpent ready to sting vs vnto death they are like some cunning Couering that hideth a deepe pit prepared to swallow vs. This is the reason vsed by the Apostle shewing That they which will bee rich fall into tentations and snares and into foolish and noysome lusts 1 Tim. 6 9 1. Salomon speaking of falling into whoredome sayeth Prou. 7 21. 5 2. The lips of a strange Woman drop as an hony combe and her mouth is softer then Oyle when as her end is as bitter as wormwood as sharpe as a two-edged sword her paths leade to the graue and her wayes tend to hell by this means she catcheth fooles and bringeth them to the stocks as an Oxe to the slaughter Vse 1 The vses follow to bee considered of vs. First let vs learne from hence to confesse that prosperity is a slippery estate and howsoeuer it bee much desired and admired yet it is full of great dangers and hedged in with diuers difficulties This is not knowne nor vnderstood of the men of this world True it is wheÌ„ God sendeth famine or warre or pestilence and infectious diseases all men can say Alas these are hard and heauy times terrible and troublesome seasons we are alwayes in danger of death But wee must remember that when we liue at ease and all of vs be at peace when God deliuereth vs from diseases wee must not be secure and fall asleep in such prosperity but consider that we are set in slippery places This the Apostle Paul teacheth 2 Tim. 3 1 where hee saith In the lâ—st daies shall come perillous times for men shall bee louers of themselues proude couetous boasters louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a shew of godlinesse but denying the power thereof Hee speaketh of rough and greeuous times yet he neither nameth nor meaneth plague pestilence famine sword or such like calamities but hee telleth of things more dangerous although we take our selues to be free and farre from all danger We account no times tedious and troublesome but when wee liue in feare of death or feele our bellies pinched or else are crossed in the things of this
executing iudgement vpon the offenders and euill dooers which brought a greeuous plague vpon the people His spirit was stirred within him beeing first stirred by the Spirit of God which mooued him to take a speare and to thrust thorow the adulterer and adulteresse Now wee shall see the recompence of reward that was giuen vnto him for that worke which was acceptable vnto God and profitable vnto his people He hath a couenant of peace made with him the Priesthood confirmed vnto him and his posteritie He onely had appeased the wrath of God made vppe the breach betweene God and his people but the blessing is conueyed euen to his posterity He destroyeth two malefactors whereby he bringeth a blessing vnto his children Hereby we learne Doctrine The faithfâ—â— bring able â—sing on the families That when the wayes of a man please God he will bee gracious to his house posterity God is so pleased with the obedience of his people that he wiil shew mercy to such as belong to them This is pleÌ„tifully proued vnto vs in the word of GOD. When God saw Noah righteous before him in that corrupt age and generation hee made all that belonged vnto him partakers of a great deliuerance saying vnto him Enter thou all thine house into the Arke for thee haue I seene righteous before me in this age Gen. 7 1. This appeareth in the person of Abraham when God had called him out of his Countrey and from his kindred and made a Couenant with him to blesse him Gen. 12 2 3. The Prophet Ieremy teacheth this in the example of the Rechabites Thus saith the Lord of hoasts the God of Israel Because ye haue obeyed the Commandement of Ionadab your Father and â—ept all his precepts and done according vnto all that he hath coÌ„manded you Therfore thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel Ionadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for euer Ier. 35 18. To this purpose speaketh the Prophet Dauid Psal 37.21 A good man is mercifull and lendeth and his seede enioyeth the blessing If wee come to the new Testament wee haue many testimonies leading vs vnto the consideration of this truth When Zaccheus beleeued in Christ for his saluation and testified his repentance by his restitution Iesus said vnto him This day is saluation come into this house forasmuch as he is become the sonne of Abraham Luke 19 9. When the ruler whose son was sick at Capernaum saw the great power of Christ in restoring him to health againe Hee beleeued and all his houshold Iohn 4 13. This is oftentimes remembred vnto vs in the Acts of the Apostles When God had opened the heart of Lydia that shee attended vnto the things which Paul deliuered She was baptized and all her houshold Acts 16 15.33 VVhen the Iayler beleeued in the Lord Iesus for his saluation and shewed his vnfained conuersion by the fruites of his loue to the Apostles he was baptized with all that belonged vnto him straitway and reioyced that he with al his houshold beleeued in God Reason 1 The reasons to enforce this doctrine are euident if wee consider eyther the person of God or the condition of the faithfull For first God hath in great mercy and goodnesse promised to shew grace and fauour not onely to the faithfull themselues but to the seede of the faithfull that feare him It is the nature of God to be mercifull and gracious to be slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse shewing mercy vnto thousands to them that loue him and keepe his commandements Exod. 20 6 and 34 6 7. VVe see this in the history of the destruction of Sodome the Lord did not onely in great mercy and compassion saue Lot himself but said vnto him Whom hast thou yet heere either sonne in law or thy sonnes or thy daughters or whatsoeuer thou hast in the citty bring it out of this place Gen. 19 12. Hee was ready not to saue him alone but as an ouerplus to deliuer all that belonged vnto him We see the mercy of God to others for his childrens sake hee thinketh it not enough to bee good to them but extendeth his mercies to those that any way concerne them Reason 2 Secondly as the mercy of God is great so the faith of the godly is effectuall for themselues and their children This is the tenour of the couenant that God hath made with al the faithful their faith is auailable both for themselues and for others God will be our God and the God of our seede after vs Gen. 17 7. And this is the priuiledge prerogatiue that the faithfull haue they beleeue this mercifull promise of God themselues and thereby entitle their children vnto it For as a father that purchaseth house or land giueth thereby an interest vnto his son therein so he that layeth hold on the promise which God hath made to all godly parents doth conueygh it vnto his children so that albeit they want faith by reason of their yeares yet they are made partakers of Christ and ingrafted into his body So then we may collect and gather this truth that the loue of God to the faithfull shall so abound that it shall come to their posterity like the precious oyntment powred on the head of Aaron that ranne downe vpon his beard and flowed to the border of his garments or as the dew on Hermon and Sion which watered the vallies that were beneath vpon which it descended Psal 133 2 3. The vses remaine to be handled First wee Vse 1 learne that the children of faithful parents haue right and interest to Baptisme and are to receiue the seale of the couenant This the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 7 14 when hee sayth The vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified to the wife and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified to the husband elsewere your children vncleane but now they are holy Seeing then that faithfull parents entitle their children to the blessings which they receiue wee see that there ought to bee a difference betweene them and the children of Turkes and Infidels All the offspring of Abraham was accounted holy in the time of the old Testament because God made with him the couenant of life and the Apostle reasoneth that if the root be holy the branches also are holy Rom. 11.16 Hence it is that he calleth them all his children who are borne of Israel But since the partition wall is pulled downe the grace of God is not obscured and lesse assured vnto vs then it was before vnto the Iewes Infants and children doe no lesse belong to the couenant and Church of God then others doe that are of yeares of discretion as it is plaine by the promise made to Abraham I will set my couenant betweene me and thee and betweene thy seed after thee in their generations for an euerlasting couenant that I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee Genes 17 7. Where God doth
naming thereof is sufficient to shew the vanity of it Prefat ad Ca. thol lectures This I confesse may not vnfitly be called another Scripture then yet hath bin knowne howbeit not the Lords but his owne And if this new and admirable way to a new found land were granted vnto him what would it make more against vs then against himselfe and generally against the whole Church of Rome This shall plainely appeare vnto vs in three respects For first of all admit once of these fond guesses and glosses vpon the Scripture and depart from the simplicity of the same there is a gappe opened wide to intrude a thousand diuerse nay contrary interpretations according to the diuers or contrary disposition of the interpreter As for example out of this present place mentioning the commandement of God to Moses the guiles of the Midianites and theyr drawing Israel to fornication by meanes of Cozbi a Princes daughter among them a man might with greater probability gather and agreeing better with the proportion of faith in other Scriptures an encouragement to all christian Princes to pull downe the purple whore that sitteth in spirituall Babylon to reward her as she hath rewarded vs Reuel 18 6 and to giue her double according to her works and in the cup that she hath filled to vs to fill her the double For in the former words Moses shall signifie the Christian Magistrate the Midianites the enemies of Christ the greatest whereof are Antichrist and his adherents the entising of the Israelites to fornication the committing of idolatry and running a whoring after Idols the slaying of Cozbi in the day of the plague the downefall and ruine of theyr idolatrous worship which we see God hath miraculously brought to passe Thus we see how these words may more fitly and fully be applyed against the church of Rome then against true Catholiques whom he calleth heretiques Secondly if this be the marrow and pith of the Scriptures to hide such mysticall meanings and secret senses vnder the outward barke what hindreth vs but that we may raise as good doctrine out of Homers Iliads and Odysses out of Ouids Metamorphosis or out of Virgils Aeneads as out of the writings of Moses and the Prophets which were horrible blasphemy once to conceiue or imagine For if a man by Vlysses or by Aeneas should vnderstand Christ by their companions his Disciples by theyr wandrings his sufferings by theyr going downe to hell his ouercomming of the diuell and triumphing ouer the kingdome of darknesse by theyr safe arriuing in an hauen of rest after all theyr labours his resurrection from the dead and taking possession of the kingdome of heauen hee hath as faire a warrant for these coniectures as this trifler hath for his fooleries to vnderstand by Moses the Pope by the Midianites the writings of heretiques 〈◊〉 in Reuel â—â—p 6. by Cozbi such doctrine as pretendeth the Name of God and by vexing the Midianites the stopping of the course of theyr hereticall writings Lastly this inward supposed Scripture that this dreamer hath conceited burieth the true word of God and setteth vp a forged and counterfet Scripture For it turneth all things into Allegories and disanulleth the rules of interpretation The Allegories that we finde not in Scripture we are at liberty to refuse He that hath set bounds and bankes to the sea that it should passe no further hath restrayned vs how farre we shall go We must not turne eyther to the right hand or to the left Deut. 4 2. Wee must walke the kings high way we must not adde or diminish wee must not change or alter any thing of Christs testameÌ„t Origen the Prince and Patron of Allegories hath beene taxed and condemned of all men for corrupting and peruerting the Scripture this way but now Origen is iustified by this new found interpretation which is no better then a languishing about trifles 1 Tim. 6 4 a doting about questions and strife of words and a casting of clouds and smoake vpon the Sunne beames And howsoeuer the schoolemen haue ouerflowed the bankes in the ranknesse and superfluity of theyr wit and thereby defaced and depraued the precious word of God purer then the gold of Ophir In 1. part Sum. quaest 1. artic 10. yet Thomas one of the Princes and gods among them teacheth that the literall sence of the Scripture is that which the Author intendeth and the Author of holy Scripture is God Now if that bee the true meaning of the Scripture which the holy Ghost intendeth I would gladly know whether the pretended mystical interpretation of this place building vp the primacy of Peter and supremacy of the Pope and pulling downe the heretiques were intended by the Commandement of God vnto Moses Let him tell me whether the words be in the nature of a Prophesie or of an History belonging to the present times or to the times to come Let him shew whether Moses euer vnderstood the commandement of the Lord as this popish Proctor or rather prater pretendeth And whether the interpretation now set afoote were true in the dayes of Moses or not Lastly let him declare whether Moses and the Israelites did euer obey this commandement or not Numb 31 7. But if the meaning be that God spake not to Moses but to the Vicar of Christ nor gaue them charge concerning the Midianites but the writings of heretiques nor spake touching Cozbi but those that counterfeted the word of GOD hee did delude Moses with a vaine shaddow of words pretending one thing and intending another in outward shew giuing him authority but in an inward meaning establishing the Popes superiority which was not hatched nor heard of in sundry ages afterward And heereupon it is that all the sounder Diuines of ancient times Aug. epist 48. Hier in cap. 13 Math. Alph. li. 1. c. 3. Andrad lib 2. Defens Triden and the sounder schoolemen of latter times haue reiected this mystical diuinity as vnauaileable and vnsufficient to proue any point of Christian Religion Thus then wee see that the word of God is not to be turned into an allegory taking away the truth of the history and the doctrine of faith In this manner of reasoning notwithstanding the chiefest keyes of Popish Religion are hammered so most absurd and impertinent allegories are established God made two great lights a greater to rule the day and a lesser to rule the night therefore there are two great powers set in the world the Pope and the Emperour and the authority of the Pope is so much greater then the authority of the Emperour as the Sun is then the Moone God said In thy light wee shall see light therefore there must bee candles in the Church burning at noone day The words of the Prophet Thou hast put all things vnder his feete Psal 8 6 7 they allegorize thus for the supreme iurisdiction of the man of sinne all sheepe and oxen that is all men Foules that is Angels and
Adam which also is our sin Now there are four things that doe continually and distinctly cleaue to sinne Foure things cleaue to sin the fault the guilt the blot and the punishment The fault is the offence committed against God in the action which is the root of all the rest The guilt is an obligation to punishment for the fault and offence which we haue committed The blot or spot thereof is as it were a marke or print set and branded in the soule of him that sinned when he groweth to an hight in wickednes like the marke that was set vpon Cain when he had killed his brother For the multiplying of offensiue actions is the continuall encrease of the blot or blemish of the soule til in the end the light of nature be vtterly extinguished and men come to a reprobate sense and grow to be past feeling through the blindnesse of their mindes and the hardnesse of their hearts Euen as the dropsie man the more he drinketh the more hee dryeth so the more a man sinneth the more he is giuen to sinne As the couetous person alwayes desireth to get more so the sinner alwayes desireth to sinne more and to worke al vncleannes with greedines The punishment it selfe is the wages and iust recompence of all the former which is the first second death The first death is a separation of the soule and body the second a separation of the whole man from God for as the soule is the life of the body so is God the life of the soule Know therefore and acknowledge from hence that it is an irkesome and bitter thing to prouoke him by our sin which driueth away his comfortable presence from vs. Vse 2 Secondly this teacheth that none can escape death by streÌ„gth or policy by friends or fraud or by any occasion in asmuch as all are sinners euen from their mothers wombe vnto the day of their death Psal 58 3. 51 5. Gen. 8 21. Iob 4 17. 15 14. 25 4. It is a fearefull and cruell tyrant an outragious and wasting enemy that maketh spoyle and hauocke wheresoeuer hee commeth sparing neyther young nor old rich nor poore Prince nor people good nor bad Psal 89 48. It standeth vs therefore in hand to account of euery day as our last day and to know that euery moment may cut off the threed of our life so that wee are suddenly gone are no more we must prepare for it continually our whole life should be a meditation of it Againe we must pull out of our hearts this false conceit and imagination whereby euery man naturally blesseth and notably deceiueth himselfe and thinketh though he haue one foot in a maner in the graue yet hee shall not die this yeere but he may liue one yeare longer as the rich man was in a pleasant dreame did forecast for many yeares Luke 12 19. And yet alas we know not what shal be to morrow Iam. 4 14 no nor what one day may bring forth Pr. 27 1 Vse 3 Lastly let euery one labor to take away the power and strength of his own death And to this end we must deale with it as the Philistims dealt with Sampson they neuer gaue ouer till they had learned where his strength lay Iudg. 16 5 6 and then they quickly weakned him and preuailed ouer him who before had preuailed ouer them So ought we to doe we must know wherin the strength of death consisteth that is in sin onely Take this away by repentance from dead works faith in Christ and you shaue off the seuen locks of it that is you shall weaken it that it shall neuer bee able to hurt you So many sinnes as liue and reigne in vs so many stings hath death which serue to wound our soules to eternall death If then we would die the death of the righteous let vs endeauour to the vtmost of our strength to liue the life of the righteous Then we shal lay a good foundation that shall neuer be shaken and build our house vpon the rocke wee shal begin our eternal life in this mortall life and haue our conuersation in heauen while we walke vpon the earth Phil. 3 20. Let vs beware of putting off the time from day to day whatsoeuer we would do at the last gaspe grone when we are dying let vs doe the same euery day while wee are liuing The most wicked when he seeth he is presently to leaue the world will seeme desirous to pray though he neuer prayed in his health and to require others to pray for him and haply those whom before he contemned and derided their prayers also then likewise hee will promise and protest amendment of life make solemne vowes couenants with God Let vs therefore do this daily which these men doe at their last day that when death commeth wee may be found ready and prepared with oyle in our lampes like the wise virgins Math. 25. To conclude he that would liue when he is dead must dye when he is aliue and there is no way for vs to come to life but first to enter by the gate of death 6 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 7 The daughters of Zelophehad speake right thou shalt surely giue them a possession of an inheritance among their fathers brethren c. 8 And thou shalt speake vnto the children of Israel saying If a man die and haue no sonne c. 9 And if hee haue no daughter then yee shall giue his inheritance vnto his brethren 10 And if he haue no brethren then ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his fathers brethren 11 And if his father haue no brethren ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his kinsman c. The deciding of the former question being referred by Moses vnto GOD followeth in these words wherein he returneth his answer consisting of two parts the one special the othe general the one respecting the time present the other the time to come The speciall belongeth to the cause of these fiue sisters God approueth theyr suite requireth that an inheritance should be giuen to them all so much as theyr father should haue inherited if he had liued longer The accomplishment of this designement is afterward related Iosh 17 3 4 c. where hee performeth this Commandement of the Lord. The generall ariseth vpon the former particular case and this belongeth to all the children of Israel wherein God determineth in what order they shall inherite Now these are the degrees First the neerest heyres are the heyres males The law for iâ—heritances a mans owne sonnes Secondly if hee haue no heyres males his daughters shall be his heyres Thirdly for default of such yssue the inheritance shall go to his owne brethren for after his children his brother is next in nature and blood vnto him therefore if his owne children faile his brother must be his heyre Fourthly if he haue no brother then his fathers
5 Lastly it is the duty of all Gouernors to looke to theyr families and therefore GOD beginneth with them and directeth the commandement vnto them Why the commandement of the Sabbath is directed to gouernors and that for these causes First because they must giue an acount of theyr gouernment to God of whō they haue receyued it who is the high Commander and generall Master in Heauen and Earth and of all theyr soules that are vnder their charge forasmuch as hee will search and enquire not onely how ciuill and iust among men and toward men our gouernment hath beene but how godly and religious Secondly GOD setteth them in the first place to teach them that God requireth at their hands to teach theyr families to command theyr sonnes and housholds to feare God to bring them vp in his faith feare and in true religion Eph. 6 4. Gen. 18 19. Thirdly because they must go before them by good example and practise of all holy duties as Paul wold haue Timothy to do 1 Tim. 4 12 as we look for any comfort at the Lords hand in that great day of his dreadfull iudgement when he will bring euery worke to light with euery secret thing whether good or euil Eccl. 12 12. If we haue beene examples in good things we shall receyue euerlasting life if examples in euill euerlasting death Fourthly the Lord singleth out the father and master in the first place because if they go before and leade the way the rest of the house wil quickly follow after Iohn chap. 4 verse 53. Acts chapter sixteene verse 32 contrarywise if they yeeld not obedience for conscience sake to the duties of the Sabbath they may by the abuse of their authority hinder frustrate the holy endeauours of his children seruants Hence it is that many fathers vrge their children many masters command their seruants to go about their owne busines and send them from place to place at that time when they should attend to the holy commandement of the Lord whereas both of thē might well and lawfully reply to their fathers and masters and say with Christ our Sauiour Luke 2 49 Wist yee not that I must be about my fathers businesse Lastly the Lord layeth this waighty charge vpon them that such as are vnder their gouernment may yeeld willingly and cheerfully to Gods will considering how straight a charge God hath giuen to all gouernours If they should do it of their owne head or lay an heauy burden vpon thē which themselues would not touch with their little finger the charge could carry no authority It is not therefore their fathers or masters that restraine them of their liberty tye vp their wicked and wandring affections but GOD himselfe to whom all obedience is due The father doth shew loue to his children whē he restrayneth them from wickednes the master doth no wrong to his seruants that brideleth them from following theyr owne willes and pleasures So then the poynt to be learned and practised is that we must first keepe the Sabbath in our owne persons and begin reformation within the doores or closets of our owne hearts or else we will be very remisse negligent in reforming of others or if we be forward we shall bee charged and chalenged to be hypocrites while we teach others but doe not teach our selues Rom. 2 21. Secondly we must cast our eyes vpon others and looke to them that belong vnto vs that they may sanctifie the Sabbath as well as our selues It is not enough for vs to come to the house of of God alone but wee must come with the trayne of our families as a Captaine with his army Psal 110 3 and 42.4 The father oftentimes is praying in the Church when his children are playing in the streetes The master many times sitteth in the house of God when his seruant lyeth at the alehouse The wife sometimes goeth with her husband to the sermon when the daughters and maid-seruants eyther are sent or suffered to runne to lasciuious dancing and wanton company whereby theyr mindes and oftentimes theyr bodyes also are defiled as it fell out to Dinah Gen. chapter 34 verses 1 2 and so the saying of Salomon is verified Prouerbs chap. 29 verse 15. A childe left to himselfe bringeth his mother to shame But haply some Masters will alleadge for themselues that their seruants are vnruly Obiect as the vntamed heyffer and will not be ordered by them that they are much greeued they can preuaile no more with them and that they breake out and will not be holden in by them I answer Answer this is not a good plea but a vayne excuse and no better For if thy authority serue to bridle them and keepe them vnder in the sixe dayes how commeth it to passe that thou wantest power to preuayle ouer them on the seuenth day Can wee rule them in our owne cause and can wee not rule them in the cause of God Haue we meanes to enforce them to looke to our businesse and want wee meanes to compell them to do Gods busines It seemeth therefore to me to be rather want of will in vs Obiect then of power If we pretend farther that they be incorrigible and will haue their owne swinge and be at theyr owne liberty that day Answ we haue no warrant to burden our houses with such persons that will neither serue the Lord nor obey vs but rather infect others that liue with them The Prophet Dauid professeth that they should not serue him that were vngodly his eyes should bee vpon the faithfull to dwell with him but the wicked should not tarry in his house Psal 101 6 7. Why then should wee keepe them in our house that loue not the house of God Wee will quickly discharge that seruant which hath no care of our businesse why then will we trouble our selues our house with him that is vnfaithfull toward God Thus then wee see the care that all ought to haue of the Sabbath both master and seruant father and sonne husband and wife But alasse the prophanenesse of our times is so great that the Sabbath is in a manner vtterly contemned we giue him least seruice on that day wherein we are bound to giue him most duty For we see heere vnder the Law how the Lord commandeth that the daily sacrifice which euery morning and euening was offered should bee doubled vpon the Sabbath But our people for the most part performe single seruice and double impiety vpon that day The greatest seruice is done to our selues or that which is worse to the diuell But of the Sabbath we haue spoken before chap. 15. 11 And in the beginnings of your moneths yee shall offer a burnt offering vnto the Lord two yong Bullocks and a Ramme and seuen Lambes of a yeare old without spot 12 And three tenth deales of flower for a meat offering c. 13 And a seuerall tenth deale of fine flower mingled with oyle
neither heare nor see what God saith vnto vs. He calleth vnto vs daily and maketh the Gospel sound aloud in the middest of vs that wee might haue the inward remorse of a good conscience to repent vs of all our euill wayes yet we notvvithstanding this summoning of vs do remaine dull and deafe dumb and blinde Wherefore vve must not look till there be a solemne holyday to call vs vnto the Church there to keepe a feast of Trumpets but it must serue vs all the daies of our life as a spur to cause vs to returne to God 7 And ye shall haue on the tenth day of this seuenth moneth an holy conuocation and ye shall afflict your soules yee shall not doe any worke therein 8 But yee shall offer a burnt offering vnto the Lord for a sweete sauour one yong bullocke c. 9 And their meat offering shall be c. 10 A seuerall tenth deale for one Lambe c. 11 One kidde of the Goats for a sinne-offering c. The next feast is the feast of affliction or humiliation othervvise called the feast of fasting The Iewes themselues vvere so superstitious in the obseruation of this feast that as Munster testifieth they thought it not lavvfull for them to reade any thing that might make themselues mery or reioyce their harts Munst annâ—t as the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt Of the Feast of fasting and afflicting the soule their entrance into the land of Canaan or their deliuerance from the tiranny of Haman and such like but onely mournefull things that may serue to make them heauy and sorrowfull as the threatnings of the Prophets the Lamentations of Ieremy the destruction of Ierusalem and other Scriptures of like argument Theod. quaest â—2 in Leuit. Thom. 1.2 quaest 102. art 4. Lyra in 23. Leuit. This feast was not ordayned without cause Many surmise that it had his originall for the Lords forgiuing the Israelites their sinne of idolatry committed in making and worshipping the golden Calfe Exod. 32 Of this we reade more at large Leuit. 23 26 27 28. It was solemnized on the tenth day of the seuenth moneth to be a day of attonement an holye conuocation to afflict theyr soules and to offer an holy offering by fire to the Lord and whatsoeuer soule shall not be afflicted in that same day he shall be cut off from among his people This yearly feast of expiation is also described Leuit 16 29 and it is made an euerlasting statute to make an attonement for the children of Israel for all their sinnes once a yeare This was not ordained without cause forasmuch as we see how men do naturally couer theyr faults as much as they can So the Prophet Zachary testifieth that while the people were in captiuity and banishment in Babylon all that whole time they had kept their extraordinary fasts very strictly chap 7 5. Vse 1 But let vs proceede to the Vses Heereby the Iews and all men to the end of the world are put in minde that wee must seriously bethinke vs of our sinnes both of the greatnesse and number of them which we commit and humble our selues for them It was the wil of God to establish amongst his owne people a yeare-minde of them by teaching them to humble themselues by fasting and acknowledging their sinnes and making a solemne confession of them and crauing pardon and forgiuenesse of them We cannot think of our sinnes aright without griefe of heart neyther ought wee to bee greeued for this greefe 2. Cor. 7 8. This sorrow is of God and for our good and therefore called godly sorrow and is not to be shunned or shaken off by vs. It pleaseth God greatly and maketh glad the Angels in heauen Luke 15 verse 17 and bringeth vs vnto infinite ioy and peace of conscience in the latter end Such then as can bee glad and reioyce at it exceedingly when they haue offended God and wounded their own soules their sinne is deepe their heart is hard and their condemnation shall be double in hell of whom Christ saith Luke 6 25. Woee be to you that laugh for ye shall weepe and waile So then their publike and solemne fasting was a protesting of themselues to bee guiltie in Gods fight of horrible offences and they were put in minde when they were come home to their houses to consider that it is not enough for them to hang downe their heads like a bull-rush for a day and to craue forgiuenesse for we prouoke God euery day and as it were enter into a new band with death True it is we are washed but we defile our selues again God hath pardoned vs yet we returne to our sinne as to our vomit againe and wee make no end of sinning So long as we liue in this world wee haue some corruptions lurking in vs and it is vnpossible for vs altogether to abstaine from euill Thus were the Iewes taught to looke vpon themselues and into theÌ„selues and vpon their sinnes by this feast which haply otherwise they would neuer haue thought vpon and thus it serueth for our instruction also Secondly we see heereby what superstition Vse 2 remaynerh amongst the Romanists who haue turned this feast of Affliction and humiliation into their Lenton-fast Of the Lenton Fast then they hang downe their heads and acknowledge theyr sinnes and punish themselues with fasting pretend for it the example of the Iewes and the practise of Christ Thus they make vs no better for the comming of our Lord Iesus in the flesh Galath chap. 5 verse 4. and 4 verse 2 who hath shewed himselfe vnto the world They pretend themselues to bee Christians but make themselues Iewes Neyther is it any whit better to maintaine their Fast of fortie dayes by an apish imitation of Christ Iesus For if they will be like vnto him let them abstaine from all manner of meate and drinke let them during those dayes eate nothing at all and then let them boast that they haue fasted and fashioned themselues like vnto him But their manner is to feede themselues vnto the full at dinner that they are like to surfet and they cramme their bellies that they leaue no roome for any more Againe the Fast of Christ was not an abstinence from flesh onely and a taking liberty to eate fish to drinke wine and to feede vpon all kind of the most delicate dishes which is the Romish Fast hee did eate nothing at all in those dayes Moreouer hee did this but once in all his life and that to shew his diuine power and to magnifie the maiestie of the Gospel whereas these scorners will seeme to go beyond him by many degrees and not to resemble him And wherefore do they take vp the fashion of the Iewes to afflict themselues but to haue freer scope to despise despight God himselfe all the yeare after They make sowre faces and disfigure themselues play the notable hypocrites when Passion-sunday commeth
bound her soule 7 And her husband heard it and held his peace in the day when he heard it then her vowes shall stand c. Now Moses intreateth of such vowes as were made by those that are vnder the authority of others as children vnder their parents concerning which the father hath authority to disanull them Hereby the power of all parents is so magnified and aduanced that a vow made immediatly to God is frustrate there is a meere nullity of it except they confirme it They haue power to make it good and they haue power to make it voide Doctrine Great is the iurisdiction authority of parents ouer their children Heereby wee learne that great is the authority and iurisdiction of parents ouer their children by the Law of God and Nature The very heathen haue this truth shining in their hearts that parents are to be honoured and that their authority should be inuiolable Exod. 20 12. Eph. 6 1 2. Ierem. 35 6 7 8 c. Gen. 27 8 43. and 28. 2. When the father sayth Goe the child goeth when he sayth Arise he ariseth when he sayth Come he commeth Christ our Sauiour giueth testimony of his perfect obedience whom all both men and Angels stand bound to worship and to whom euery knee must bow of things in heauen of things in earth and of things vnder the earth Philip. 2 yet hee was subiect to his parents and went with them Luke 2.51 1. King 2.19 The reasons are euident Reason 1 First the precept of honouring parents hath the first place in the second Table and is set before all other so that next vnto GOD we are bound to reuerence them to whom we are most bound and it is the foundation and band of obedience to all the rest of the commandements that follow For if men doe not stand in awe of the Magistrate the father of the Common-wealth and the Captaine of the people all the other would soone be violated 2 Kings 20 5. Againe the Apostle teacheth that this is the first Commandement with promise Eph. 6 2 it hath a speciall promised annexed of long life Thirdly children receiue great and manifold blessings from the hands of theyr parents and gouernours and likewise are freed from many euils and dangers that otherwise they might fall into Fourthly patents giue life and breath and beeing after a sort vnto them for children receiue all these from thē Fiftly parents are honoured by sundry titles and names the which are giuen to God himselfe Matth. 23.9 One is your father which is in heauen therefore call no man your father vpon earth Obiect 1 Touching this impregnable and inuincible truth sundry questions may be asked and diuers doubts to be remooued As first seeing their authority is so great why doeth our Sauiour speake of hating father and mother as Luke 14 26 If any man come to me and do not hate his father and mother he cannot be my disciple Answ I answer Christ speaketh in that place comparatiuely that is wee must not regard them in respect of himselfe whom wee ought to loue aboue all and so it is expounded Mathew 10 37 Hee that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me To loue our parents next after GOD is piety but to loue them more then God is impiety Wee hate them therefore when we loue them lesse then God in comparison of whom we should hate our liues Obiect 2 Secondly Christ forbiddeth vs to call any man father as we haue heard before Matth. 23. Answ I answere Christ condemneth not the name or appellation giuen to men simply for then he should be contrary to himselfe where he alloweth the title to earthly fathers Math. 7 9. Marke 7 11 and the Apostle should bee contrary to his master 1 Cor. 4 15. Therefore he meaneth that no man is or can be our Father as God is to wit that we should trust in them and make them the authors of our life and the giuers of all good things that come vnto vs. Obiect 3 Thirdly what if our parents be euil persons and vngodly ought we then to obey them yeelde vnto their authority who are by their wickednesse vnworthy thereof Answ I answer It skilleth not whether they bee good or euill touching our obedience For euill parents are our parents and euill Magistrates are Magistrates and euill Ministers are Ministers Seruants are commanded to bee subiect to theyr masters not onely vnto them that are good and gentle but to them that are froward 1 Peter 2 18 so ought children to yeeld obedience vnto their fathers though they be euill Hence it is that God saith generally in the Law Honour thy father and mother not honor them when they are good onely But it will be farther obiected What if they Obiect 4 be excommunicate persons may they then be obeyed or should children then do any dutie to their parents and is not that to set light by that censure I answer Answer Excommunication rightly vsed is indeede the most greeuous iudgement that can bee inflicted in this life both in respect of the soule and of the bodie and is as it were the messenger of death It is a great punishment to be banished from a well ordered City much more to be thrust out of the Church which is the Common-wealth of God and of his Son Christ Dauid did greatly lament his estate and condition when hee wanted the holy assemblies of the faithfull among the Infidels and could not come into the presence of God with his people and did thinke himself driuen away from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord 1 Sam. 26 19. Who would not tremble and be afraid to bee deliuered vp vnto Satan 1 Cor. 5 6. the enemie of God The children of Israel were deliuered ouer to Nebucadnezzar and other wicked tyrants to be afflicted and they bewailed exceedingly such bodily captiuity Psalme 137 1 2 how much more fearful then ought the excōmunicate person to esteeme it to be deliuered vp not to wicked and vngodly men but to satan himselfe The prince that ruleth in the hart of the children of disobedience Notwithstanding all fellowshippe and familiarity with them is not denyed to vs. It is lawfull for the family to conuerse with the gouernors of the family though they be excommunicate persons The wife may not deny due beneuolence nor the childe dutifull obedience if he bid them go they must goe or to come they must come neither are they by such behauiour culpeable or guilty of their sinne of which we see more before chap. 5. Fourthly if the sonne be a Magistrate Obiect 5 the father a priuate man it may bee demanded whether he be to yeeld obedience to his father I answer Answ though the father must obey the sonne as hee is a Magistrate yet in another respect the sonne must obey the father as he is the father so that neytner is the sonne to bee depriued of the honour and
yeare then the Trumpet of Iubile sounded they proclaimed liberty and freedome thoroughout all the land vnto all the inhabitants thereof then seruants were set free then debts were forgiuen then euery man returned vnto his owne possession and family Verse 10. This solemne and sacred time was instituted for these causes First Why the Iubile was instituted to moderate and bridle the couetousnesse of such as hoped and gaped after other mens possessions and to teach euery man to be content with his owne estate and not enter vpon the possessions of others as Ahab did vpon the vineyard of Naboth Secondly to keepe a true Chronology a certaine computation of time which is very necessary and profitable in the reading of histories to know where and at what time euery thing was done Thirdly to maintayne a distinction of the Tribes vntill the exhibiting of the Messiah according to the prophecy of Iacob Gen. 49 9 The Tribe shall not depart from Iuda till Shiloh come For howsoeuer many do vnderstand the word Shebet in this place of the Scepter yet I doe not remember in all the bookes of Moses wherein it is often vsed that once it is vsed in that sense albeit it be in other bookes afterward Lastly to figure out the redemption of Christ who indeed broght a true Iubile and freedome when the fulnesse of time came Hee proclaymed liberty with his owne voyce from the tyranny of sin of Satan and of hell Esay 61 1 2 3 c. Luke 4 18. He purchased a ful discharge from all our spiritual debts trespasses and transgressions Ioh. 8 34 36 Verily verily I say vnto you Whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne but if the Sonne shall make you free then are you free indeed Through him it is come to passe that Satan hath no power to exact any debt at our hands Christ hath cancelled the bill and hand-writing that stood in force against vs 1 Cor. 6 20 Gal. 4.5 1 Pet. 1 18 19. Col. 1 13 14. Rom. 8 2. This Law pertayning to the ceremonies of Moses The Popish Iubile the Papists haue taken vp and horribly abused and broght into vse in the times of the Gospel and vnder colour thereof sell theyr pardons and indulgences and abuse the people and make sale of their soules For as God had his Iubile so the Pope hath his howbeit it is in an apish kinde of imitation and can neyther be accounted this Leuitical Iubile neyther yet receiued for Christian It cannot be the Leuiticall because in it no seruants are freed no debts are remitted no possessions of land are restored as it was in the Iubile of the Iewes And if the Pope himselfe would allow this why doth not he beginne and giue good example to others restore Rome to it selfe and others lands of the Church to the Emperour he being the right and lawfull owner and that proud Bishop onely an vsurper Againe in the yeare of Iubile the Iewes did neyther sowe nor reape but at Rome it is nothing so for then the Popes are most busie the best husbands then they sowe their indulgences thick threefold reape a plentifull haruest by such merchandise Hence it is that whereas at the first this solemne feast which now keepeth the Popes kitchin hote for many yeares after was rare now it is growne more common that it might be more gainful The inuention of it was altogether vnknowne for more then twelue hundred yeares after Christ and neuer heard of in the purer times of the Church The first father of it was Boniface the eighth Anno 1300 who promised full remission of sinnes to all those that would repaire to Rome and pay soundly for a pardon and this was to be done euery hundred yeares This time was thoght too long was afterward abridged by Clement the sixt who got the papacy in the yeare 1342. to 50 yeares after the manner of the Iewe. After him came Sixtus the fourth in the yeare of our Lord 1473 who thinking the times to come to slowly about Piae fraudes and finding the sweetnes of the former deuice cut it off againe in the middes appointed euery 25 yeare for a Iubile and promised like pardons to all commers and goers wheras before him Vrban the sixt had brought it to 33 yeares and lastly it is come to ten yeares because they would bee sure to lose no profit See what the desire of mony worketh in these holy fathers who oftentimes sell pardons so fast to others that it is to be feared they neuer obtaine pardon themselues Neyther can this Iubile be holden for Christian in that poore pilgrims resort to Rome and visite the Churches of Peter and Paul but rather superstitious blasphemous For this is to tye grace to a certain time and place which is not tyed Esay 2 5. Ioh. 4 23. Math. 28 19. Secondly this is to worship God with our own workes which he hath not commanded nor required Esay 1 12 Math. 15 9 and to make sinfull men to merite the grace and fauour of God whereas all such kinde of seruice is abominable in his sight Lastly they make sale of the grace of God which is much more precious then gold and siluer take money for remission of sins which that proud Prelat is not able to giue Thus are men pitifully deceiued The Iubile is the Popes market and haruest and God is horribly dishonored And howsoeuer the good of the people is pretended yet this Iubile is nothing else but the Popes market and haruest his market day to sel his wares and commodities and his haruest to gather in his pardon-money wherby he emptieth the purses of others but filleth his owne coffers True it is hee claymeth a power to dispense the treasure of the Church that is the merites of the Saints and the ouer-measure of their workes and obedience hee hath in store for all such as lacke The Saints haue no ouer plus of works but this is most iniurious and derogatory to Christ It is proper to him to redeeme others and to satisfy for them who is made of the Father to be our redemption 1 Cor. 1 30. Againe the Scripture expresly excludeth the sufferings of the Saints from the worke of redemption and remission of sinnes 1 Cor. 1 13. Acts 4 12. 2 Cor. 5 21 Acts 10 43. Thirdly if the satisfactions of the Saints were of so great worth value that they can take away and blot out the sinnes of others then they might be truly called the Mediators of the New Testament howbeit this is proper to Christ Heb. 9.13 14 15. Lastly the Saints themselues are not able to pay theyr owne debt much lesse the debt of others and they that want the mercy and mediation of another cannot be mediators for another But the best Saints that euer were or shal be doe say Forgiue vs our debts therefore they are not able to pay them How then can
31 13 14. He did not despise the cause of his man-seruant nor of his maid-seruant when they contended with him he grounded himselfe vpon two most notable worthy considerations one from the person of God another from the law of creation From the person of God he vsed mildenesse toward them because with him is no respect of persons What then shall I do when God riseth vp and when he visiteth what shall I answer him If he should not deale mercifully and moderately with them how should he be able to answer it to God who is the Lord both of master and seruant forasmuch as we all serue one common master to whoÌ„ we must giue an account and as our seruants come to answer before vs so we must come to answer before God Col. 4. It shall one day be said vnto vs Come giue an account of thy Stewardship for wee may be no longer Stewards Luke 16. This consideration if it were duely marked of vs were sufficient to stirre vp all masters Magistrates to iust and equall dealing Againe from the common condition of our creation there is one author of life in him both master and seruant liue and moue and haue their being and both of them must of necessity die and depart out of this life How meane or how high soeuer our place of gouernement be to moderate our affections is a notable vertue in all Gouernors albeit by our authority we may command them silence and stoppe their mouthes and lade theÌ„ with stripes yet we should giue them leaue to answer for themselues and to pleade their owne causes and to debate the matter freely with vs. True it is Paul requireth of seruants that they should bee obedient vnto their masters Tiâ— 1 â— and please them well in all things not answering again howbeit the Apostle meaneth giuing of crosse answers replying againe with vnseemely and firelike words such as stand not with the bounds of their calling but they mutter and murmure with their tongues so that though they be reasonable in their seruice yet they are vnreasonable in their cutted and crabbed answers This is the answering that heere is reprooued in seruants who oftentimes abuse the lenity and mildnesse of their superiours Iob by his owne practise sheweth that there was no pride hautinesse or cruelty in him he abused not his superiority and authoritie ouer them he exercised not tyranny vpon them he did not trample vpon them and cast them vnder his feete as if they had beene dogges or bruite beasts but he mastered his affections and bridled his anger did beare with them with all gentlenesse and lowlinesse of minde And there are many motiues to perswade to this meeknesse and mildenesse toward such as are vnder vs. â—nes to â—ade to â—enesse â—d infeâ— First we are all of one molde and matter al are of the earth we are no better in regâ—â—d of our originall then those that are vnder vs albeit heere we be aboue them We are all dust and to dust we must returne The master is dust as well as the seruant When the poore Iewes complained against their oppressours to whom they had morgaged their houses and lands and giuen their sonnes and daughters into bondage they vse this â—eason Nehe. 5.5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren our children as their children To this purpose the Prophet warneth that we hide not our selues from our owne flesh Esay 58.7 Secondly we haue all one common creator he that made the master made also the seruant and he that created the rich created the poore â— 22.2 God is the maker of them both as Salomon teacheth in the booke of the Prouerbes and this we noted before out of Iob who confesseth that he which made him made them and that they had one which fashioned them in the wombe Thirdly albeit we haâ—e superiority and soueraignty ouer them yet we must consider wee haue one master in heauen â—s 6.9 to whom wee must giue an account so that as we are masters ouer them so we haue a master ouer vs and as we haue seruants vnder vs so we are seruants vnder God Such then as are superiours ceasse not to be subiects forasmuch as God is aboue all that will iudge euery one according to their workes euen toward those that belong vnto vs. The masters among the Gentiles neuer considered that they were as stewards and must giue an account of their calling and gouernment and therefore they abused it at their pleasure hauing power of life and death ouer their seruants but the Apostle putteth them in minde that the high possessour of heauen and earth ruleth all and will bring all vnto iudgement Seeing then God hath knit such a fast knot betweene mankinde that cannot be loosed to wit that we haue all one matter one common maker one common master surely such as shall cut this knot in sunder deserueth to haue his name razed out of the number of men because he acknowledgeth not the nature which God hath put into vs but thinketh he hath the bridle put into his own hands to vexe and oppresse such as are vnder him True it is he hath a preheminence ouer others and it is meete he should rule as a master and Magistrate in his owne house howbeit such as serue him and are of low degree ought not to be contemned as abiects or accounted as our footstooles Fourthly as there is one master both of masters and seruants so there is no respect of persons with him This is the nature of our heauenly master he will not sit in iudgement vpon men according to their nobility power greatnesse or riches but deale with them according to their workes as 1 Pet. 1 17. If ye call on the Father who without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans workes passe the time of your soiourning heere in feare When men of might and power vexe and tread vpon the poore weake and simple that dare not resist or withstand them they goe away with it for the most part euery one is afraid to oppose against them or to defend the cause of the innocent because men are blinded or daunted by the outward glory of their persons and so they dreame that God is like vnto themselues But the Apostle layeth before their eyes Ephes 6.9 or rather vnto their hearts that they should put away threatning and deale mildly and gently toward them forasmuch as God accepteth of no mans person Fiftly they shall receiue themselues great benefite and profit by their seruice This the Gentiles though God suffered them to wander in ignorance knew well enough and the Philosophers vsed to mooue all masters to equity and gentle dealing toward their seruants True it is menseruants and maidseruants in those dayes were not as they are in our times they had them not by couenant for yeeres they serued them not for wages but they were bondslaues to liue and die
with their masters and they possessed them for euer as their oxen or horses and had power to saue them or to kill them at their owne pleasure no man could speake against it or call them to answer and account for it Neuerthelesse the wise men among them saw by the light of nature that there was a common equity to be vsed toward al reasonable creatures and therefore exhorted them to vse their seruants well and to refraine their anger toward them in consideration of their owne gaine and profite that should come vnto them thereby They saw not into the force of the former reason that they must giue an account to God but they mooued them in regard of their own good benefit as also Paul doth Philemon Philem. 11.12 who shold find his seruant profitable vnto him and therefore he sent him againe and would haue him receiue him againe The heathen could say Whatsoeuer thou wouldest not haue done to thy selfe doe not thou to another which is according to the rule of Christ Matth. 7.12 All things whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe vnto you doe ye euen so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets If then we respect not equitie let vs be mooued by our owne commodity Sixtly we are all as brethren in Christ Iesus howsoeuer many be of low degree and despised in the world yet Christ himselfe accounteth all that beleeue in him to be his brethren If we haue God to be our Father wee must confesse his children to be our brethren If we be ashamed to account thus of others let vs take heed lest Christ be ashamed of vs when he commeth in his glory The Apostle speaking of him saith Heb. 2.17 In all things it behoued him to be made like vnto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in things pertaining vnto God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people Ver. 12. And in the same chapter he bringeth in Christ speaking I will declare thy Name vnto my brethren in the middest of the Church will I sing praise vnto thee True it is there is a difference betweene man and man in outward things but in the chiefest things they are equal the lowest haue as good a title to saluation and the kingdome of heauen as the highest there is neither Iew nor Grecian there is neither male nor female there is neither bond nor free but we are all one in Christ Iesus Seuenthly this milde dealing toward them serueth to giue them encouragement in well-doing For when they shall see such kindnesse in their masters that they are content to heare them patiently to beare with them meekely and to entreat them gently so that they vse no vnmercifull or vnmeasurable or vnreasonable rigour toward them how is or at least how ought the heart of the seruants to be cheered and comforted in their obedience to them and in yeelding all possible good seruice to them in the singlenesse of their hearts By too much lenity they grow saucie and oftentimes outragious The wise man saith Pamper vp a seruant Prou 29.21 and he will be as thine owne sonne Giue seruants the reines of libertie they waxe proud and know neither their masters nor themselues nor their duties so soone as they are set on horsebacke they gallop beyond all measure There is a moderation to be kept betweene two extreames too much and too little and we may offend by the one as well as by the other Hence it is that Paul setting downe the duties of fathers toward their children Col. 3.21 saith Fathers prouoke not your children to anger lest they be discouraged or out of heart Gentle natures are soone dismayed they are rebuked by a word and by a look we must take heede we be not bitter to them Lastly looke how we would be dealt withall by others in like manner ought we to deal with others and behaue our selues toward others There is none of vs all but we desire to haue the seruants that are vnder vs deale well with vs to serue vs willingly to obey vs cheerefully to honour vs readily and from the heart we therefore in our commandements toward them ought to vse all humanity and equity and this the Apostle calleth to doe the same things toward them Ephes 6.9 Againe as we desire that God should forbeare threatnings toward vs and forgiue vs vpon our vnfained repentance so ought wee to doe wee ought to forbeare threatning and to forgiue them that haue offended vs when we see the fruits of a true conuersion and turning vnto God in them And this doth the Apostle require at the hands of Philemon howsoeuer in former times the seruant had purloyned from his master as we haue noted at large vpon that Epistle To conclude therefore seeing God will haue the innocent protected and not oppressed in iudgement it behooueth euery one to looke to the duties of his calling as the seruant should not rise against the master so the master ought not to oppresse the seruant Let all men learne mildenesse toward their inferiours that God may be serued aboue all 19 And the Priest shall charge her by an oath and say vnto the woman if no man hath lyen with thee and if thou hast not gone aside to vncleannesse with another in stead of thy husband be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse 20 But if thou hast gone aside to another in stead of thy husband and if thou bee defiled and some man hath lyen with thee beside thine husband 21 Then the Priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing and the Priest shall say vnto the woman The Lord make thee a curse and an oath among thy people when the Lord doth make thy thigh to rot and thy belly to swell 22 And this water that causeth the curse shal goe into thy bowels to make thy belly to swell and thy thigh to rot and the woman shall say Amen Amen Hitherto we haue shewed such actions as were vsed to try the faith and fidelity of the suspected woman now we come to the words that are spoken declaring the manner how it was performed from the 19 verse to the ende of the 22. verse Heerein we haue laid before vs two thinges first the oath it selfe Secondly the assent of the woman vnto the oath Touching the oath we haue heere a prescript forme of it and the words prescribed vnto her are ministred to her by the Priest who vttereth it by his voyce conditionally on both parts If thou hast not gone astray and broken the band and couenant of mariage so that no man hath knowne thee carnally be free from this curse But if thou hast offended this way and that thou be defiled the curse come vpon thee The assent of the woman followeth being expressed by a common note vsed in the conclusion of all prayers Amen Amen Wherein we are to obserue two things both the signification